Providing Therapy for Non-Traditional Romantic Relationships

<p>In this course, Dr. Jason Branch (Professor, Counselor Education at California Professional School of Psychology; principal, Jay Branch and Associates) defines the main terms for the types of non-traditional relationships he covers in his talk and explains how many of the “rules of engagement” come to be in the context of aspects such as environmental factors, social and cultural norms, values and gender roles, and boundaries. Addressing the stigma that can surround those in non-traditional relationships, Dr. Branch invites you to reflect on your mental “junk drawer” full of beliefs, biases, and stereotypes which may no longer serve you. He briefly outlines some of the therapies which have been effective for mental health professionals working with clients in non-traditional relationships and posits the clinical triangle as a way of ensuring counsellors give the best of themselves to a client. He invites you to reflect on whether you are able to be genuinely open and curious – like a student – in approaching work with clients in non-monogamous relationships. </p>