Addicted - But Not To Each Other
Helping addicted couples heal with EFT

This workshop will provide an introductory framework for using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy to work with couples struggling with addiction. Dr. Putney will introduce how trauma, neglect, abuse, and dysfunctional relationships impact the neurological and attachment systems. These reactive systems keep the couple detached, disconnected, stuck in conflict, and discouraged as they repeatedly fall back into self-defeating behaviors. Finally, she will describe how to conceptualize addiction from an EFT perspective to effect change, create safety, heal attachment wounds, and replace compulsive or traumatic responses in favor of true, intimate connection, and healing.

At the end of this Workshop, participants will have the ability to :

1. Describe the difference between an addiction versus problematic behaviors as well as the different types of addictions including chemical/substance and behavioral addictions.
2. Have a better understanding of the neurological underpinnings of addiction, attachment and trauma and their systemic impact.
3. Have a conceptual framework with working with couples with addiction from an EFT perspective including timing, ethical concerns, and practical implications to avoid common pitfalls that entrap couples therapists.

Information about Heather:

Dr. Putney is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified EFT Therapist. She completed her MS in Family Therapy from UMass Boston in 2010 and her PhD from the Counseling Supervision and Education program at Duquesne University in December 2017. Her dissertation “Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Exploring Relational Satisfaction in Modern-Day Couples” focused on better understanding what contributes to relational satisfaction and how to support modern-day, diverse couples. During her studies, Heather also worked as a Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. David Delmonico and has co-authored several book chapters and articles on the intersection of the internet, technology, sexual compulsivity and its impact on relationships.

Heather’s first love was biology and had originally planned on becoming a Veterinarian. Therefore, she also holds a BS in Biology from Wittenberg University and an MS in Integrative Biology from Brigham Young University. She came to the field of psychology through her earlier interests and work in animal training.  

Heather’s theoretical orientation is grounded in Emotionally Focused Couple’s Therapy (EFT).  She is a founding member and Vice President of the Pittsburgh Emotionally Focused Therapy Collaborative, an organization dedicated to training and improving clinical skills for couples therapists grounded in the Pittsburgh area.

Heather is also the Founder and Clinical Director of Untethered Therapy Group, a non-profit Mental Health agency located in Pittsburgh, PA specializing in helping individuals, couples and families heal from the impact of sex addiction, infidelity, betrayal, and trauma. Heather is a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT) and EMDR and is a Consultant in Training (CIT) in EMDR. Heather loves learning about the interface between psychology, biology, and systems theory and believes in a holistic approach to healing. She continues to study the overlap between neurobiology and psychology and the most efficient modalities to heal the body, mind, and family system.