Relationship Institute Australasia

Counselling and
Professional Training

LIVE & INTERACTIVE via ZOOM 24th, 25th & 26th September 2025 - 8.30am - 4.30pm (Sydney time) - $1435

24th, 25th & 26th September 2025

$1,435.00 per person

Register

Level 3 - Practicum

Complete your Gottman training journey with Advanced Gottman Clinical Trainers & Consultants, Trish Purnell-Webb and John Flanagan. Relationship Institute Australasia is one of the leading agencies in Australia in Gottman training and therapist certification. Through videotaped cases of real couples, hands-on role plays, demonstrations of assessments and interventions, and nuanced discussion of technique, the Level 3 Training significantly expands your understanding of when and how to use Gottman Method strategies.

The workshop will be facilitated by Trish Purnell-Webb and John Flanagan, who are Advanced Gottman Clinical Trainers & Consultants.  They will demonstrate an assessment or intervention session appropriate for each couple’s struggle as role-played by audience volunteers. These demonstrations represent the true resistances and co-morbidities we face as therapists and how we can transform them into effective healing methods for the couple.

Following each demonstration, you will have the chance to practice and refine your use of Gottman Method Couples Therapy through participation in role-plays, demonstrations and discussions in a small group setting. Trish and John will observe each group and offer practical tips and technical refinements for each therapist. No criticism or negative judgment is allowed. Rather, efforts are made to create safety and security for all therapists present in an environment free of criticism and negative judgment.

After each role-play session, Trish & John will lead discussions that include case consultations and nuanced details of the techniques previously demonstrated and provide guidance in developing a roadmap for clinical decisions.

There is no better way to learn how to apply the Gottman Method than this workshop.

Pre-requisites:

  • You must be a Master’s or doctoral degree student in a graduate program within a mental health-related field (with professional supervision),
  • OR a Conditionally Registered Psychologist;
  • OR a Social Worker moving towards mental health accreditation;
  • OR a Counsellor moving towards Level 4 membership with ACA;
  • OR a Clinical Member of PACFA,
  • OR a Registered Psychologist with or without endorsement;
  • AND:
  • Completed Level 1 Training 
  • Completed Level 2 Training

HIghly Recommended Pre-requisites to get the most out of this training:

  • A minimum of 500 hours of post graduate therapy experience (individual or couples/family) under supervision; (PLEASE NOTE: To apply for certification you MUST have completed a minimum of  1000 post graduate (i.e. post full registration or membership to the above associations) clinical hours with either individuals or couples/family;
  • 50 hours of couples therapy using Gottman Method Couples Therapy is highly recommended.

Workshop Objectives

At the end of this workshop participants will understand how to:

  • Effectively use the Oral History Interview during a couple’s assessment and understand its implications
  • Clearly explain to a couple their strengths and challenges in terms of the “Sound Relationship House”
  • Help partners identify their own “Four Horsemen” and understand the antidotes
  • Select and utilize appropriate tools to help a couple deepen their “Friendship System”
  • Clarify a couple’s conflicts in terms of solvable, perpetual, and grid-locked problems
  • Use the “Dreams Within Conflict” technique to help a couple feel hopeful and to achieve break-through with their perpetual conflict
  • Successfully intervene when one or both partners are flooding
  • Help a couple reach solutions using the Compromise Ovals intervention
  • Sensitively intervene when co-morbidities are present

In a small-group setting, you will have the opportunity to practice and refine your use of Gottman Method therapy and receive personalized guidance in developing a roadmap for making sound clinical decisions.

The Level 3 Training content represents the true resistances and co-morbidities we face as therapists and how we can transform them into effective healing methods for the couple.

The workshop is structured to help create a safe and secure environment so participants can learn and practice while feeling free of criticism and negative judgment.

Video Participation: Case Discussion in Certification Practicum
Participants are asked to submit a short (5 - 10 minute) video segment of a difficult or challenging couple that you have worked with. Your work with the couple will not be critiqued; in fact the video does not even need to show you as the therapist; just seeing the couple is all that is needed. The purpose will be to use these couples to illustrate how the Gottman Method can be applied to these tough cases. Trish and John will describe how to treat these couples utilising the Gottman methodology and then participants from the audience will volunteer to role-play these couples with Trish & John demonstrating using a variety of interventions with these couples. Participants will then have the opportunity to practice using these interventions in a supportive small group setting with other participants’ role-playing the couples from the videos.

This is for Case Discussion within the context of Certification Practicum ONLY and is not related to the videotaped interventions submitted for final Certification Review.

Submitting a video tape isn't absolutely essential, however it will help make the training more meaningful for you. If you cannot upload a taped segment, you can submit a brief written description of a challenging couple for the same purpose. 

We will supply you with a Google Drive for all documents and video uploads. Please ensure you have an email address that supports Google Drive. 

At the completion of the workshop you will receive an official Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 3 Training Certificate as well as a CPD certificate of 20 hours. 

As we are offering this training once a year for ZOOM only and once a year for face to face only, please ensure you check with us that we have minumum numbers for the face to face one to proceed prior to booking flights and accomodation on the Gold Coast.  

Relationship Institute Australasia is one of Australia's leading agencies in Gottman training and therapist certification.
We are committed in ensuring access to high quality learning and supports for all therapists engaged in our programs.

When you register at Relationship Institute Australasia, you also join the growing number of practicing Gottman Therapists in this country to support your ongoing development and learning.

At RIA we are absolutely committed to building a strong Gottman Therapist community in Australasia; building respectful, kind and gentle relationships -  one couple at a time.
 
So, in addition to attending our training, we offer the following supports to our participants.

-  Free RIA Therapist Facebook page that offers excellent support for all aspects of couples therapy practice.
This private Facebook group provides access to timely advice and experience from over 550 Gottman Relationship therapists. Any practice questions or dilemmas are welcomed in this amazingly supportive and positive group.

-  Opportunity to join the RIA’s therapist database to enhance your exposure and promote your services and increase your couple referrals. For a small annual subscription fee your practice and services are promoted to thousands of professions and couples across Australasia.

-  Access to supervision from Trish and John or from several other brilliant Certified Gottman therapists in Australia to support your professional learning.

-  Opportunity to continue your Gottman journey though Level 1, 2, 3 and the Certification Track with John and Trish, Australia’s only Gottman Level 3 Trainers & Consultants 

Workshop Timings: 8.30am  -  4.30pm AEST  (QLD TIME - AEST)

CPD: This training is eligible for 20 hours of CPD points. 

Cost - $1435 for the 3 days live via ZOOM 

Cost - $1795 for the 3 days in person

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Kylie-Jo by either phone or email.

Cancellation Policy

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By submitting this form the information provided will be added to the RIA database and used to provide you with helpful hints on strengthening your relationship and advance notice on upcoming events and workshops in your state. All information will be kept private and not used in any way other than stated here.