COURSE FOUR - A Psychoanalytic Approach to Couples Therapy
EXTENSION PROGRAM
Online Course
Course Coordinator: Elena Reshetnikova, BA, BCL, LLB, TIP Candidate
Course Leader: Klaus Wiedermann, PhD, CPsych
Thursday, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm: October 22, 29, November 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2026 (6 sessions)
Fees: $450
Deadline for registration is October 15, 2026.
Preregistration is required.
** DISTANCE PARTICIPATION ONLY – This course will be conducted online.
A six-part course setting out the fundamentals and technical issues of psychoanalytic couples therapy. Each evening will have a topic, starting with ‘the roots of couple therapy in object relations theory’, followed by ‘unconscious partner choice and joint unconscious phantasy’, ‘narcissistic relating’, ‘technical issues working with high conflict couples’, ‘the role of children as indicators of intergenerational transmission of trauma’, and ‘dyad vs triangle, meanings of affairs.’
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish psychoanalytic couples’ therapy from all other forms of couples’ therapy.
- Describe foundational concepts in couples’ therapy, such as unconscious partner choice, joint unconscious phantasy, and the containment function of relationships.
- Understand the technical difficulties involved in working in a triadic setting, with its multiplicity of transference and countertransference strands.
Elena V. Reshetnikova, BA, BCL, LLB, TIP Candidate
Elena V. Reshetnikova, BA, BCL, LLB, TIP Candidate is a lawyer and ardent student of psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and neuro-psychoanalysis. Over the past ten years she has trained at four psychotherapy programs in Canada and internationally and is currently completing her clinical work with patients, including couples, at the Toronto Institute of Psychoanalysis.
Klaus Wiedermann, PhD, CPsych
Klaus Wiedermann, PhD, CPsych, trained as psychologist, both in Marburg, Germany and Toronto, Canada. He now works as a psychoanalyst in private practice in Toronto. In addition to working with individuals, he specializes in psychoanalytic work with couples.
Before training as a psychoanalyst, Klaus underwent a neo-Reichian body-psychotherapy training. His interest in Kleinian, Bionian and post-Bionian theories of mind, combined with an attention to the body, have informed his clinical work, his teaching and his academic interests.
As faculty member at the Toronto Institute of Psychoanalysis (TIP) and at the Advanced Training of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program (ATPPP), Klaus teaches British Object Relations, Character, and aspects of psychoanalytic technique. Member TPS&I.
This event is eligible for Section 1 CME credits (0.5 credits/hour). This event is an accredited group learning activity (section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certificate Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, approved by the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA). The specific opinions and content of this event are not necessarily those of the CPA, and are the responsibility of the organizer(s) alone. As per the Royal College standard, each presentation provides a minimum of 25% interactive learning.
Full-time students in universities and colleges, and full-time mental-health trainees are eligible for a 25% reduction in course fees. Proof of 2026/2027 status needs to be provided. Please contact the tps&i directly to register at a discount.
Refunds must be requested in writing two weeks prior to the beginning of a course. A handling fee of $50 will be retained. After these two weeks, fees cannot be returned.
For more information about and for registration in the tps&i Extension Programs, Scientific Meetings, Training Programs, Study and Supervision groups and Special Presentations, please visit our website: torontopsychoanalysis.com or email info@torontopsychoanalysis.com