Overview
Rare opportunity to learn from an international trauma couples expert from Canada.
Couples therapy is one of the most rewarding yet complex areas of clinical practice. When trauma enters the picture, the challenge multiplies. Many therapists find that traditional dialogue methods, while powerful, can falter when partners are deeply triggered, shut down, or caught in cycles of escalation. Clients may bring not only the hurts of the present relationship, but also the unhealed echoes of earlier injuries.
Healing Trauma, Restoring Connection is a two-day training designed to address this gap. Led by Maureen McEvoy, MA, RCC (Canada) – an experienced Imago workshop presenter and respected trauma therapist with over 30 years of practice – this workshop brings together the best of trauma-informed care and relational therapy.
The program explores how unresolved trauma and attachment injuries show up in couple dynamics, and how therapists can work more safely, confidently, and creatively when the usual tools are not enough.
Why this workshop?
Couples often arrive in therapy in the midst of intense distress. One partner may appear withdrawn, the other highly reactive. The cycle between them can feel relentless. Underneath, both are struggling with survival responses rooted in past experience – fear, shame, rejection, or confusion that did not begin in the relationship but are now activated within it.
As therapists, we may feel caught between partners, pressured to mediate or fix, while also holding a responsibility to keep the session safe. Without trauma-informed methods, these moments can feel overwhelming. Clients can leave feeling more hopeless, and clinicians may leave sessions feeling drained or discouraged.
This workshop acknowledges these realities and offers an integrative, practical approach. It is not about abandoning the models you know – Imago, EFT, Gottman, PACT, somatic or creative arts therapies – but about expanding your toolkit so you can hold complexity with steadiness and clarity.
What you will experience
Over two days, Maureen will guide participants through a balance of teaching, clinical demonstration, experiential exercises, and group reflection. The emphasis is on learning by doing, with opportunities to practise methods and reflect on their application in your own work.
Topics include:
- Recognising the signs of trauma activation in couples sessions
- Understanding the neurobiology of escalation, shutdown, and attachment injury
- Using somatic awareness and creative interventions to access non-verbal memory systems
- Working with “parts” or “states” to reduce blame and foster compassion
- Introducing pacing and safety anchors into dialogue processes
- Therapist stance: how to stay grounded, regulated, and resourced in the room
- Repairing disconnection and supporting couples to co-regulate
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Maureen’s teaching style is grounded and collegial. She draws on decades of experience in trauma recovery and couples work, weaving together theory, clinical practice, and human warmth. Participants consistently describe her approach as both practical and deeply reassuring: you leave with tools you can use immediately, but also with a renewed sense of why you chose this work in the first place.
Who should attend?
This workshop is designed for psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, social workers, and other professionals who work with couples or want to. It is particularly relevant for practitioners trained in relational models such as Imago, EFT, Gottman, and PACT who want to expand their capacity to respond to trauma in the room.
It is also valuable for clinicians in private practice who may at times feel isolated or under-supported when faced with high-intensity couples work. The training is structured to not only develop skills but also to foster collegial connections and shared wisdom.
A trauma-informed ethos
The heart of this training is a trauma-informed ethos: respect for the survival strategies clients bring, recognition of the nervous system’s role in shaping behaviour, and the belief that every part has a logic once we understand its origin.
Rather than pathologising partners, the workshop equips therapists to help clients externalise and name their reactions as protective strategies, often rooted in earlier experiences. This reduces blame and creates a pathway for compassion, repair, and re-connection.
A rare opportunity
While trauma-informed practice is increasingly recognised as essential in individual therapy, there are far fewer opportunities to learn how to apply these principles in couples work. Healing Trauma, Restoring Connection addresses this gap directly.
Maureen McEvoy brings rare expertise: she has trained internationally in trauma recovery, worked extensively with both couples and survivors of trauma, and taught relational models to clinicians across modalities. Her ability to bridge theory and practice, and to model presence in the room, makes this a unique professional development experience for Australian therapists.
Format and approach
The workshop runs over two full days and includes:
- Didactic teaching to ground concepts in research and theory
- Live demonstrations to show methods in action
- Experiential exercises so participants can practise in a supportive environment
- Structured reflection to consolidate learning and connect insights to clinical practice
Participants will receive a comprehensive set of workshop notes, and CPD recognition for 12 hours (PACFA, ACA, ASCH, AASW, AAPI, APS).
Key benefits
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Have a clearer framework for understanding how trauma shapes couple dynamics
- Feel more confident in managing escalation and shutdown
- Know how to integrate somatic and creative practices into their existing model
- Leave with practical strategies to apply immediately in therapy sessions
- Feel connected to a community of peers committed to deepening trauma-informed practice
Location and dates
- Dates: 8–9 November 2025
- Venue: Crows Nest Community Centre, Sydney
- Times: 9:00am – 5:00pm each day
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Presenter
Maureen McEvoy, MA, RCC (Canada), is a trauma therapist and Imago workshop presenter with over 30 years’ experience. She has taught internationally on trauma recovery and couples therapy, with a reputation for blending clinical depth with practical tools. Maureen is known for her ability to create safe, engaging learning environments that leave clinicians more confident, compassionate, and resourced.
CPD and accreditation
This training may be eligible for 12 CPD hours by PACFA, ACA, ASCH, AASW, AAPI, and APS.
Sponsorship
🟡 Sponsored by Australian Resource Therapy Institute (ARTI)
resourcetherapy.com.au
Learning Outcomes
By attending Healing Trauma, Restoring Connection, participants will deepen their confidence and capacity to work with couples where trauma is present. Across two days of experiential teaching, discussion, and practice, you will learn how to integrate trauma-informed methods into your existing couples therapy approach.
1. Strengthen your understanding of trauma in the couple dynamic
You will explore how unresolved trauma shows up in intimate relationships, often beneath the surface of common presenting concerns such as conflict, disconnection, or communication difficulties. Through case examples and clinical discussion, you will learn to recognise how attachment injuries, shutdown, and defensive escalation can be understood not as resistance but as survival responses rooted in nervous system activation.
2. Apply a trauma-informed lens to relational models
Building on familiar modalities such as Imago, EFT, Gottman Method, PACT, and creative arts therapies, you will learn how to integrate a trauma-informed perspective without abandoning your preferred framework. The workshop will demonstrate how somatic awareness, pacing, and parts-based language can complement dialogue methods, giving you greater flexibility and safety when working with couples who are easily triggered.
3. Manage escalation and withdrawal with practical tools
Therapists frequently encounter moments when one partner shuts down while the other escalates. Left unaddressed, these cycles can become entrenched and demoralising for both the couple and the clinician. You will learn step-by-step strategies for de-escalation, grounding, and re-engagement. These methods help couples feel seen and regulated, while protecting the therapist from becoming caught in reactive cycles.
4. Integrate somatic, creative, and parts-based interventions
Trauma is stored in the body and often cannot be resolved through words alone. This workshop introduces practical interventions that access non-verbal memory systems and right-brain processes. You will experience creative arts exercises, movement, breath, and gentle somatic practices that can be safely incorporated into couples' work. You will also be introduced to parts-based frameworks that allow each partner to externalise their “states” or “modes,” reducing blame and creating space for compassion and repair.
5. Work safely with high-intensity dynamics
Couples impacted by trauma can present with sudden emotional flooding, dissociation, or retraumatisation. You will learn how to recognise these states early and respond effectively. The training covers therapist stance, pacing, and the importance of co-regulation. By practising specific protocols, you will develop greater confidence in containing strong affect while keeping both partners engaged in the process.
6. Increase therapeutic confidence and reduce burnout
Many therapists report feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or underprepared when trauma emerges in couples work. This workshop aims not only to increase your skill set but also to normalise the challenges of this clinical territory. By learning concrete strategies and by engaging in collegial dialogue with peers, you will leave with renewed energy and clarity. The goal is to support you in staying resourced and confident, so you can accompany couples through some of their most difficult moments without feeling depleted.
7. Build community and professional connections
This training is designed to connect you with colleagues who are equally committed to trauma-informed practice. The workshop offers opportunities for shared reflection, discussion, and networking. You will leave not only with new skills,but also with a sense of belonging to a community of practitioners working at the cutting edge of trauma and relationship therapy.
By the end of the two days, you will have a toolkit of trauma-informed methods that can be immediately applied in your practice, regardless of your therapeutic orientation.