24th July 2025
Across two days, this workshop is dedicated to exploring a wide range of relationship models taking into account culture, sexuality, gender rather than assuming that one size fits all.
Dates : Thursday 24th July 2025
Times: 2pm – 8pm (BST). Please log-in at 1.45pm (BST) for prompt 2pm start.
TRAINER : Diane Hassall Scroll down to see more about the trainer
LOCATION : Online
Cost : £100 if booked by 24th May 2025 ,
£110 if booked by 24th June 2025,
£120 full price
We now offer insurance against cancellation. This must be purchased within 48 hours of booking the workshop. Click here for more info
Monogamy has been considered the ‘right way’ to do relationships since Christianity spread the concept of monogamy through the Western word from the first century AD. But non-monogamy has been the norm in many cultures worldwide since the dawn of time. In fact, research shows that only 43 out of 238 societies across the world are monogamous!
And now more and more people are considering it – or doing it. In 2020, a YouGov survery in the US found that 56% of people didn’t consider complete monogamy to be their ideal relationship style.
Yet, non-monogamy is a concept and practice not covered in most counselling and therapy training.
Research from Dr Heath Schechinger, a scholar and expert in family and relationship dynamics, shows that where we are not informed, we harm clients who are already vulnerable. We owe it to our clients to educate ourselves about consensual non-monogamy, to explore our biases, and to challenge our misconceptions.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of training, participants will have:
- Examined the ‘rules’ they were taugh about relationships
- Reflect on their own biases and challenge commonly held myths and misconceptions about non-monogamy and polyamory.
- Discover the plethora of relationship styles beyond monogamy
- Learn the language of non-monogamy
- Appreciate the impact of mononormativity, the stigma, pathologisation and discrimination experienced by non-monogamous folk
- Discover how to be a more affirmative therapist with relationally marginalised clients.
Please note, that the general rules of engagement of the profession (confidentiality etc) apply when attending this workshop
ABOUT THE TRAINER: DIANE HASSALL
Di is an experienced Integrative Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor
who specialises in Relationship and Psychosexual Therapy. Much of her work is with people exploring gender, sexual or relationship diversity (GSRD). Her clients bring issues around commitment, sexual identity, gender identity and/or transition, BDSM and kink, polyamory, non-monogamy and other types of relationships. She also works with people in trans-cultural, trans-racial relationships and/or those from differing religions.
Di’s previous career was in HR, learning and development, communications and change management. People and relationships have always been her passion, so it was no surprise to those who know her when she became a psychotherapist!
She is an Accredited Member of NCIP and a Registered Member of COSRT
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We recognise that few of us had the training, the supervision or the experience to work with more than two in the consulting room and yet we are meant to work within our competence. Our view of relationships as always based on romantic or sexual attraction might not serve all client populations. Most therapists will recognise that individual therapy skills are inappropriate to working with dual intimate systems, often referred to as “couples”.
The role of the therapist is different when the client is a couple (rather than two individuals) and the skills are fundamentally different. Many therapists will find the step from individual to couples therapy daunting in itself. This course is suitable for therapists who work one-to-one as well as those who are established as couple therapists.
Furthermore, our clients who identify as culturally different may challenge our way of thinking. Some clients may identify as polyamorous and consider themselves as “multiple partnered”. Others consider polygamy as the norm, and others may have met their partner through an arranged marriage. Each of these require a different skills set.
During the two days, we will explore and learn specific skills for welcoming and working with:
- couples (an intimate dual system)
- multiple partner relationships
- non-eurocentric relationships
- including arranged marriages and
- polygamous ones
- clients from collectivist cultures rather than individualist culture
- erotically marginalised client groups
Participants will be supported in:
- recognising and adjusting our communication which may sound
- discriminatory,
- hostile,
- including micro aggressions and
- overt prejudice
- exploring (counter)transference in this work.
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APPROVED FOR CPD : This course has been approved by NCIP- National Council Of Integrative Psychotherapists. A Certificate of Attendance form for Continuous Professional Development for 10 hours will be sent by email once you have filled in the feedback form.
This training may be taken on its own or as part of a 6-day series leading to a: Certificate in Diversity within Contemporary Relationships, more info can be found here: Certificate in Diversity within Contemporary Relationships
Maximum Number: 30
Something we all need to bear in mind
When powerful feelings are revealed and processed, it is not unusual that our own psychological issues are triggered and flow into the mix. Wilfred Bion is a respected name in the world of group working. He wrote extensively and cogently on issues that invariably occur in groups. We would like to agree basic guidelines with you – based on his findings – to ensure the success of our work together. Bion’s central focus was the disruption (he called it ‘resistance’) that may arise within a group that shifts it away from its agreed task. Our focus, our agreed task for this workshop is NOT therapy for the members or to criticise others.
Our agreed task is to offer teaching and learning related to diversity within contemporary relationships.
To this end, our Certificate in Diversity within Contemporary Relationships welcomes and needs people to be courageous, and examine prejudice with tolerance and a minimum of defensiveness. We need our workshops to be safe spaces, where participants can be vulnerable and supported if they make mistakes, as we all do. We would like to remind you that we work within UK law and ethics (Gender Recognition, Equalities Act, MOU and Race) and will not tolerate non-compliance in any way. We wholeheartedly support people courageously stepping forward, and anyone who is critical of this will not be welcome on this training and may be asked to leave.
OUR EXPECTATION : Is that you will attend this workshop for the full length of the course, have your video on, your mobile off, and fully participate.
There are some online talks on zoom that allow you to come and go, or to choose not to participate in the exercise and breakout rooms. This culture has started to creep into our workshops. We have even had people say they want to leave to go and pick up children from school or walk their dog! People dropping in and out is very disruptive – especially when there may be group exercises that are planned for the same group to participate in a number of times.
Because of this, we want to be clear about our expectations. This workshop has been planned with the assumption that you, and everyone else, will attend for the full time.
So please be clear, that if you book on this workshop, we expect you to attend for the whole time, to participate in the breakout rooms and exercises and have your video switched on.
Please also put your mobile to one side and on silent – checking your phone or texting will mean that you miss material. So we request that you only check your phone during breaks.
HANDOUTS : You will get a copy of the slides before the workshop
Therapists Insurance: By booking on this workshop you confirm that you have sufficient insurance to offer therapy to the public. (We are required by the NCIP, who accredit this workshop, to ask you to confirm this). If there is any discrepancy please let us know by contacting jonstow.cyh@gmail.com
CANCELLATIONS : Any request to change (e.g. defer to alternative dates) or cancel your place at a workshop, that is made at less than 21 days before the course start date will be charged in full. Any cancellation / amendments / requests to defer before 21 days, will be subject to a 12.5% handling charge.
Organised through Sleeping Mountain Ltd