"Working With Infidelity: After the Affair, Who Owns the Relationship?"

with Marty Klein Ph.D.

Although most therapists say they use a “systems approach” to infidelity, it’s hard to maintain that perspective when cases are conceptualized as involving a selfish Betrayer and a victimized Betrayed. 

The idea that the Betrayer has to beg forgiveness for an undefined time period and accept whatever relationship the Betrayed demands is a disservice to both parties.

Successful treatment must also involve the Betrayer’s clear insights about the emotional, psychological, and practical reasons for breaking their promise of fidelity. Facilitating this can be aggravating work for any therapist.

Course participants will learn fresh ways of looking at affairs, fidelity, and sexuality—so that they can better evaluate patients, sort out individual and relationship issues, and help people heal from the experiences of powerlessness, disorientation, grief, rage, and damaged self-esteem that are common on both sides of betrayal.

Learning Objectives

In successfully completing and attending this presentation, participants will be able to:

1. Explain 3 ways that power dynamics are often present in infidelity cases.

2. Name 3 intrapsychic issues that are often involved in infidelity cases.

3. Name 3 features that typically contribute to successful reconciliation after

infidelity.

PRESENTER

Dr. Marty Klein has been a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist for over 40 years. He has aimed his entire career toward a single set of goals: telling the truth about sexuality, helping people feel sexually adequate & powerful, and supporting the healthy sexual expression of all people.

Marty is the award-winning author of seven books about sexuality. Published in 15 languages, his books have been acclaimed by everyone from USA Today and Psychology Today to Penn & Teller, Dan Savage, & Esther Perel. His blog and monthly electronic newsletter are widely quoted for their innovative thinking about sex, politics, culture, & the media.

Marty is frequently quoted by the national media, including The New Yorker, National Public Radio, The New York Times, and the Daily Show. 

Marty has been an expert witness, consultant, or invited plaintiff in many state and federal cases involving censorship, the internet, and sexual behavior. He recently gave two Congressional briefings on evidence-based school sex education.

Marty has given over 1,000 keynotes, workshops, and training programs, and has been an invited Master Presenter at 11 state CAMFT conferences. He has lectured or consulted with government officials in over 50 countries, including China, Ukraine, Morocco, Croatia, and India.

As a clinician, Marty works each week with couples and individuals with a variety of sexual and non-sexual difficulties–some 40,000 sessions to date. He supervises mid-career therapists, and has run a monthly case consult group for many years. An accomplished photographer and musician, he lives with his wife in Palo Alto, California. His URL is www.SexEd.org.

SPONSOR

The Nitto Group places ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) at the core of its management and aims at simultaneously solving social issues and creating economic value. Positioning Power & Mobility, Digital Interface, and Human Life as the three focal domains, the group strives to become an essential company by leveraging the strengths of its technologies in the areas where these domains intersect with each other.