Become a Recognized Smart Stepfamily Therapy Provider and receive a lifetime referral listing on RonDeal.org and SmartStepfamilies.com. This is the only Christian network of clinicians who have equipped themselves with Smart Stepfamily principles to help couples around the world. We receive multiple requests for referral every week; you can be on our referral list (view here). 

This virtual training (Zoom) consists of pre-workshop reading assignments and two days (12-hours) of live presentation from Ron Deal (with handout), large and small group interaction, and case studies. A post-training recommended reading list will be shared. 

The 12-hour training is not yet pre-approved for CE credit. Participants will be given a certificate of attendance which can be presented to your board for consideration (we cannot at this time guarantee it will be accepted for CE credit). 

The training is open to non-licensed family educators, ministry leaders, pastoral counselors, and therapy students, but only licensed therapists will be added to the list of Recognized Providers after the training. 

Register Online through Eventbrite 

Description: Smart Stepfamily Therapy Training

The stepcouple divorce rate remains alarming. Therapists often feel overwhelmed when treating blended families given their complexity and relational dynamics. This two-day workshop specifically designed for therapists who espouse a Christian worldview will explore key relational challenges leading to stepcouple and stepfamily distress and how therapists can effectively treat the expanded stepfamily system including children and former spouses. Biblical and pastoral considerations for working with Christian clients will be included. Clinical applications of family system theory, Restoration Therapy, and of the psychoeducational principles from Ron's Smart Stepfamily Series of books will be discussed (clients are often familiar with these and look for therapists who can articulate them as well). In addition, data from the National Survey of Stepfamilies (over 50,000 couples surveyed by Ron Deal and David Olson) will be presented and implications shared for preventing divorce and strengthening the entire stepfamily unit.

Learning Objectives: Participants will:

1. List family process dynamics that are different in stepfamilies than in biological families
2. Describe how attachment, loss, and loyalty issues create competing attachments and barriers to family integration
3. Learn an overall developmental model for understanding family integration
4. Identify practical therapeutic procedures in working with remarried couples and stepfamilies and learn how to discern traditional therapeutic interventions not suited for stepfamilies
5. Describe the differing roles of biological parents and stepparents as they relate to raising children in stepfamilies and marital cohesion
6. Share and discuss case studies
7. Evaluate their current practice model and talk through how to integrate stepfamily therapy strategies with both children and adults

One-time cost for the 12-hour virtual training and lifetime listing as a Recognized Smart Stepfamily Therapy Provider: $375 (comparable 2-day training costs $425 or more with no referral network listing)

Register Online through Eventbrite