Case Conferences

TPI is pleased to offer the popular case conference series.

TPI Case Conference, January 27, 2012

The Crucible of the Long-term Relationship, presented by Beverly Burch, Ph.D.

Clultural narratives about marriage are captured by stock phrases: "perfect soul mates" (the happily-ever-after couple) or "life sentence" (the ball-and-chain). Once committed, couples feel the tantalizing draw of one and fear the pull of the other. Shattering myths about love is astoundingly hard. Even though we see the false face of these cliches, we’re likely to hold a version of them and to weigh our own, another’s, a client’s against some ideal of a good relationship.

The mythical story of the Phoenix, the bird who lives hundreds of years then burns itself up on a funeral pyre and rises from the ashes to live again is a more apt narrative for long-term relationships. This presentation explores the nature of severe relational crises that immolate the couple to some extent but also, with work, time and luck, allow new life. This crisis is the relational crucible and deeply threatens commitment. Sometimes it clarifies the need to part, but many couples persist and endure and emerge into a new relationship.

To the individual or the couple—and to the therapist—things may look untenable or pathological (that disparaging-but-esteemed clinical word). I present two cases, one with a woman whose therapy precipitated a marital crisis that lasted several years and one with a couple who began therapy not realizing they were on the verge of such a crisis. The possibility that long-term relationships need such a crucible will be explored.

Beverly Burch, Ph.D., is in private practice in Berkeley, a clinical consulting faculty member of the Sanville Institute and a supervisor at TPI. She is the author of two non-fiction books: On Intimate Terms (U. of Ill. Press) and Other Women (Columbia University Press) and a book of poetry, Sweet to Burn, which won a Lambda Literary Award for poetry and the Gival Poetry Prize.

Location: St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Avenue at Garber, in Berkeley

Time: 4:30-6:30pm in the Fireside Room.

Continuing Education Units are not available for Case Conferences.