Avoiding the Mistakes Therapists Often Make

Patricia Papernow

Although divorce and marriage rates are generally falling, they’re skyrocketing among those over 50. That’s why so many of us are seeing an influx of later-life uncouplers and recouplers in our offices. In this workshop, learn how to effectively manage the competing needs of all the players in these families: the new couple who wants a chance at happy intimacy, adult children who may be less than pleased, stepparents who are longing for acceptance, and parents caught between the people they love. You’ll discuss:

• How adult children, especially adult daughters, struggle with parental breakups and recouplings
• How to shift the mindset of stepcouples from focusing on blending to supporting parent–child relationships and their own developing partnership
• Common mistakes many therapists make, including giving precedence to the couple’s relationship above all other issues in the new blended family

Patricia Papernow, EdD, has worked as a trainer, consultant, and therapist with stepfamily relationships for more than 30 years. She’s the director of the Institute for Stepfamily Education and the author of the award-winning books Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships and Becoming a Stepfamily.