Learn practical systemic tools for couples and family work, including reframing, connection rituals, honest conversations, and relapse recovery.

Healing the Space Between: Relational Work with Couples and Families

April 17 -18, May 8 – 9, and June 12 -13, 20262:30 – 8:00 pm PACIFIC TIME –Online via Zoom

with Kate Gomboc, MA, CCC

Assisted by Jennifer Nagel, MA, RCC-ACS

This course was born out of a passion for systemic therapy and a recognition that many are struggling to feel proficient and confident in couples and family work. Open to anyone with the desire to influence systemic change. Come and explore how to approach the space between, that space that’s hard to describe but easily felt. Gain a structured yet flexible approach to match to couples and families needs. Increase your confidence, capacity and capability for this rich and meaningful work. We will be exploring change focus and change meaning techniques, interruption, re-framing with a focus on nobility and impact, when to listen and when to teach skills, rituals for connection, how to decode language through the iceberg, how to have honest conversations, and relapse recovery among other skills.

Increase your confidence with high acuity couples and families by gaining practical skills in assessment and application. Explore experiential ideas and gain discernment in targeting growth areas in systems. Help your clients learn how to shift their focus from pathology to possibility and learn how to anchor yourself and clients in their inner resources.

If you are in the helping field and interested in shifting dialogue and the intimate space in couples and families this program is for you.

Program Outline:

Day 1/2

• Focusing on relational needs.
• How to use Satir’s coping stances to assess and explore patterns.
• How and when to interrupt and divert.
• The use of immediacy and re-framing with a focus on nobility and impact.

Day 3/4

• Mapping relational functions and patterns (how to front end load relational needs)
• Choosing skills for couples and families that target their goals
• Examples of useful skills to apply

Day 5/6

• Review of day 1 and 2
• Additional skills
• Skills practice
• Relapse recovery

Kate Gomboc. MA, CCC Kate Gomboc is a deeply reflective and collaborative counsellor with over 20 years of experience supporting families through the challenges of family life and relationships. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Lethbridge and is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Kate’s approach is informed by a diverse range of modalities. She is trained in Functional Family Therapy, a targeted, short-term model that emphasizes intentional and strategic interventions. She also has formal training in the Satir Model and Gottman Method Level 1 for Couples, which complement the systemic and thoughtful framework of Functional Family Therapy while adding unique perspectives to her work. Her professional background spans youth residential services, men’s counselling, play therapy, in-home parenting support, and family therapy. Kate brings a strong belief in the resilience of families and the power of connection, trust, and understanding to guide her work with clients.

Cancellation Policy

Full Payment due with registration.  Full refund if not accepted into program. No refunds after April 3, 2026 . Refunds minus $100 administration fee before April 3 2026.