RECOGNIZING AND REPAIRING RUPTURES IN THE THERPEUTIC ALLIANCE

Presenter:  Catherine F. Eubanks, PhD

Friday, May 15, 2026  ♦  9:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
Zoom Webinar 

This webinar will present an integrative, transtheoretical approach to recognizing and addressing alliance ruptures in a way that strengthens the working alliance and facilitates corrective experiences.  We will discuss withdrawal ruptures (movements away) and confrontation ruptures (movements against), and the interpersonal and intrapersonal markers therapists can use to help them recognize when a rupture is occurring.  Additionally, strategies for repairing ruptures will be presented: immediate strategies for renegotiating tasks, and expressive strategies that employ metacommunication (communication about the communication process) to explore ruptures and the relational needs underlying them.

Level of Curriculum Content: Introductory / Intermediate

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Catherine F. Eubanks, Ph.D. is a Professor at the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology at Adelphi University and co-Director of the Center for Alliance-Focused Training.  Her research focuses on how to help therapists identify and repair ruptures in the therapeutic alliance.  Dr. Eubanks is a past president of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI), a Fellow of the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy/APA Division 29, past Executive Officer of the North American chapter of the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR), and a previous recipient of early career awards from both Division 29 and SPR.  She currently serves as Managing Editor of the journal Psychotherapy Research and previously served as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology (JCCP).  She has published extensively on alliance ruptures and repair, including the recently released book Alliance-focused training: An evidence-based guide to negotiating ruptures in therapy, co-authored with Chris Muran, Lisa Wallner Samstag, and James Macdonald.  She also maintains a small private practice in New York.


Participants will be able to:  

●    Identify at least one marker of a withdrawal rupture and one marker of a confrontation rupture

●    Identify at least two immediate strategies for addressing alliance ruptures

●    Describe how metacommunication can be used to address an alliance

PROGRAM AGENDA

•  9:00am – 10:00am    Identification of withdrawal and confrontation ruptures in the therapeutic alliance
• 10:00am – 11:00am    Immediate strategies for addressing alliance ruptures
• 11:00am – 12:00pm    Use of metacommunication to address alliance ruptures

For additional information on continuing education policies, please visit our website at https://psychology.nova.edu/ce 

CONTINUING EDUCATION INFORMATION

Psychologists: Nova Southeastern University’s College of Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Nova Southeastern University maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Clinical social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists: Nova Southeastern University’s College of Psychology is approved by the state of Florida’s Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling to offer continuing education. Provider number: BAP# 330, Exp. 03/31/27.

School psychologists: Nova Southeastern University’s College of Psychology is approved by the state of Florida’s Board of Medical Therapies/Psychology, Office of School Psychology, to offer continuing education.  Provider number: SCE# 11, Exp. 11/30/27.

Nova Southeastern University’s College of Psychology is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists to offer continuing education for school psychologists. Nova Southeastern University maintains responsibility for this program and its content.  Provider# 1024.

Professional counselors: Nova Southeastern University's College of Psychology has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 4548.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Nova Southeastern University's College of Psychology is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

All mental health professionals will receive three (3) continuing education credits for the workshop. Full attendance is required.  No partial credit will be awarded. Check your licensing state’s rules and regulations for more information regarding your continuing education requirements.

Nova Southeastern University is committed to making its programs accessible to all prospective attendees. Let us know if you have specific requirements due to a disability.