The Program

Working with couples is extremely complex, challenging and meaningful work.  PCPG’s intensive study program offers an immersion in modern psychoanalytic thinking about couple relationships.  Through paired didactic and case discussion meetings, this unique program is designed to help clinicians build ballast through increased understanding of the pressures and dynamics that affect couple relationships through the study of contemporary psychoanalytic theory. 

PCPG’s program explores foundational ideas that have been developed over the last 50 years at Tavistock Relationships in London. These foundational ideas extend the thinking of Bion, Klein, Britton, Winnicott, Bollas and other British Object Relations theorists toward understanding the ways unconscious dynamics impact couple relationships.  Clinicians find that using this model helps them to conceptualize couple functioning in a way that offers a spacious, dynamic, mobile, and creative view of the problems and potentials of couple life. We also include additional contemporary psychoanalytic thinking, such as relational psychoanalysis, self psychology, attachment theory, link theory and field theory, as they illuminate our understanding of couple life.  Our theoretically based program offers a strong grounding for work with couples grappling with a variety of issues at any point in their lives.

We offer an exploration of a wide range of topics, including the implications of Oedipal development on couple functioning, unconscious object choice and shared unconscious anxieties, the role of projection in structuring couple relationships, sexualities, technical application of theory, transference and countertransference in work with couples, as well as special topics such as divorce and separation, affairs, high-conflict couples, narcissism, parenthood, aging and other topics. PCPG embraces and is striving to embody the principals of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). We are currently working to increase attention and discussion of issues of race, gender, sexuality, privilege, and culture into our courses.