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Sex and RLT: The New LIVE Course from the Relational Life Institute

Transform Your Clients’ Relationship To Sex, Desire & Pleasure – Within Themselves and With Their Partner

Join senior RLT therapist Anna Sterk—and expert guest teachers—to discover the practical tools to help clients understand and overcome their blocks to desire and enjoy fulfilling sexual connections.

Enroll Now

Here’s An Overview of Everything You Get In  Sex and RLT

“Our sex life brings to the fore the most vulnerable parts of us coupled with the least skill.” 
— Terry Real

5 LIVE 90-minute Classes with Anna Sterk from RLI Faculty

Join senior RLT therapist and educator Anna Sterk for an in-depth exploration of how RLT can apply to sex and desire. Anna will be joined by two external experts for classes 3 and 4: Belinda Berman-Real (trauma therapist) and Dr. Lori Davis (sexologist).
The LIVE classes take place on the following dates:
  • Class 1: Tuesday, March 11, 12–1:30 pm ET
  • Class 2: Thursday, March 13, 12–1:30 pm ET
  • Class 3: Thursday, March 20, 12–1:30 pm ET (with Belinda Berman-Real)
  • Class 4: Tuesday, March 25, 12–1:30 pm ET (with Dr. Lori Davis)
  • Class 5: Tuesday, April 1, 12–1:30 pm ET

3 Bonus Q&A Calls with Anna

Join Anna for bonus Q&A calls throughout the course to allow more space to ask questions that come up & deepen your understanding.
The bonus Q&A calls take place on the following dates:
  • Call 1: Tuesday, March 18, 12–1pm ET
  • Call 2: Thursday, March 27, 12–1pm ET
  • Call 3: Thursday, April 3, 12–1pm ET

Lifetime Access to The Class Recordings and Course Material

Refer back to the material as many times as you need to support your work. 

Plus a special bonus from Terry Real…

Confidently Handle Couples on the Brink of Disaster

3-hour Workshop Recording With Terry Real

Discover the trusted 3-phase framework to help you guide even the most challenging couples into connection and intimacy in this exploratory workshop from the creator of Relational Life Therapy.

Enroll Now

7.5 NBCC CEs are available CLICK HERE for Information

Relational Life Institute (RLI) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7495. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Relational Life Institute (RLI) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

It’s a Common Misconception That If You Transform the Relationship, a Couple’s Sex Life Will Naturally Improve…

 But in reality, that’s often not the case. Even in relationships where partners feel deeply connected and communicate well, sex can remain a challenge. Among our RLT therapists, we see countless couples who report strong emotional intimacy but struggle with desire, pleasure, and sexual connection.
 
So if they’re relating well in every other aspect, why isn’t that translating to the bedroom?
 

The truth is, sex is a part of a relationship—an important one—it can’t be isolated and it also can’t be treated by only addressing the relational dynamics. It requires a nuanced approach to address the many different factors at play, such as our internalized beliefs and cultural conditioning. 

And Here’s the Greater Challenge…

Even among therapists, sex is an area we often shy away from. Many clinicians don’t feel equipped to discuss it effectively. Our own conditioning, comfort levels, and blind spots can get in the way, making it difficult to guide clients through their most vulnerable
challenges in this area.

That’s exactly why we created our brand new course, Sex and RLT. This live online course will equip you with a framework for integrating sex into relationship therapy in a way that is nuanced, direct, and profoundly transformative. 

What makes Sex and RLT different?

Traditional sex therapy approaches often focus on individual dysfunctions or techniques, but RLT goes beyond that. In Sex and RLT, you’ll discover a relational approach to sexual connection.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Identify clients’ “sexual stance” & the “sexual dance” it creates in their relationships.
  • Transform internalized perceptions about sex, desire, and gender roles.
  • Help clients identify, express, and negotiate their desires with love and respect.
  • Work with the impact of trauma on sexual connection—and know when to refer out.
  • Adapt RLT skills to sex, including winning strategies for sustained sexual connection.

Most importantly, this course acknowledges that talking about sex—both for therapists and for clients—requires skill, self-awareness, and confidence.

Led by senior RLT therapist and educator Anna Sterk, along with guest experts Belinda Berman-Real (trauma specialist) and Dr. Lori Davis (sexologist), Sex and RLT gives you the practical tools and deep insights needed to help your clients navigate sex, pleasure, and desire with clarity and confidence.

Enroll Now

What You’ll Learn

Explore the Sex and RLT curriculum.

CLASS 1

The Myth of the Happy Relationship: The Impact of Patriarchy on Sex and Sex Therapy

  • Tuesday, March 11, 12–1:30 PM ET

You’ll explore:

  • Sex therapy models to date, from Masters and Johnson to relationship therapy-based approaches.
  • The limitations of binary models and how RLT can help us move beyond.
  • Challenging a core myth of traditional sex therapy: that a healthy relationship automatically leads to a fulfilling sex life.
  • Why sexual desire can remain low, even in secure relationships.
  • The influence of societal beliefs and cultural conditioning on sex and gender roles, including:
  • Spontaneous vs. responsive desire.
  • Desire discrepancy.
  • Physical desire cues – how men are socialized to recognize them while women are conditioned to suppress them.

CLASS 2

RLT’s Approach to Sex: Where Are We Going Next?

  • Thursday, March 13, 12–1:30 PM ET

You’ll explore:

  • Relational Life Therapy’s approach to sex to date.
  • How RLT goes beyond other current sex therapy models to provide an insight into what’s in the way of attending to pleasure and desire.
  • Exploring "whole-person sexuality."
  • Are we approaching sex from First Consciousness (Adaptive Child) or Second Consciousness (Wise Adult)?
  • Identifying a client’s sexual stance and a couple’s sexual dance.
  • Healing our inner relationship with sex.
  • Understanding the three parts of the psyche in RLT:
  • Wise Adult, Adaptive Child, Wounded Child
  • The different characteristics of the Adaptive Child and Wise Adult (and how they affect our relationship to sex and sexuality).

CLASS 3

Trauma and Sex: The Impact of Trauma on Sexual Connection with Belinda Berman-Real

  • Thursday, March 20, 12–1:30 pm ET 

You’ll explore:

  • How to take a trauma-informed approach to sex therapy:
  • Understanding the impact of current and past trauma on how we think, feel, and respond to sex and desire.
  • The impact of leaky parental boundaries on the development of Sexual First Consciousness and the need to address it in the development of Sexual Second Consciousness.  relationship with sex.
  • How to identify when inner child work is needed, and signs of deeper trauma:
  • What to look for. 
  • When to refer out.

CLASS 4

Moving Beyond the Binds of Heteronormative Socialization and Gender Roles in Sex with Dr. Lori Davis

  • Tuesday, March 25, 12–1:30 pm ET

You’ll explore:

  • The historic binds around playing with gender and gender roles in sex and pleasure.
  • How approaching sex and sexuality from our First Consciousness (Wise Adult) changes our experience:
  • Overcoming socialization to embrace authentic sexual interests.
  • The critical role of consent.
  • Introducing the Desire Discrepancy Grid – an RLT tool for understanding how we respond to our own experiences of desire, perceptions of our partner’s desire, and potential disconnection from First Consciousness.
  • How RLT’s Harmony, Disharmony, and Repair cycle applies to sex:
  • The Losing Strategies that affect sexual connection during the disharmony phase.
  • Viewing pleasure through the lens of RLT: True pleasure is only accessible from the Wise Adult self.
  • Bringing our desire into relationality: How we can express and negotiate our desires with love and respect for our partners.

CLASS 5

Developing Sexual Second Consciousness: Practical Applications for Addressing Desire Discrepancy, Sexless Marriage & Lifelong Pleasure

  • Tuesday, April 1, 12–1:30 pm ET

You’ll explore:

  • Addressing challenges in treating sexual-related challenges as relational practitioners.
  • Applying RLT tools to treat desire discrepancy and create lasting sexual connection.
  • Creating balance in sexual connection ("same-as") by teaching couples to:
  • Express desires openly.
  • Negotiate differences.
  • Grieve unmet desires without resentment.
  • Adapting core RLT skills and interventions to sex:
  • Specific ways to use communication frameworks and skills, including the Feedback Wheel and Loving Power.
  • How to apply RLT’s Winning Strategies to sexual connection to help couples move from disharmony into repair and sustained connection. 
Enroll Now
For me, 'Joining through the truth' is a piece of the jigsaw that has been missing in therapeutic training. Although in my own practice, I have 'joined in truth'  at times with clients that have been high on the grandiose scale, there has never been a framework that allows me to identify both the path in and the path out.
— Judith Balcazar
— Judith Balcazar
I have seen clients that have been stuck for years/decades begin to show growth and move towards their authentic self with pride, dignity and confidence that they’ve never experienced before. Life Changing….
— Stephanie Lott
— Stephanie Lott
Some of the things I love about Terry Real and his work are the practical steps, down-to-earth guidance and his model of having the courage and respect to be honest with couples when one partner is behaving in a way that needs to be addressed first.
— Rachel M.
— Rachel M.

Enroll in Sex and RLT Today

Choose the payment option that best suits you. 

Single Payment

$495

3 x Monthly Payments

$175

Our Promise and Guarantee

We’re confident you’ll love Sex and RLT, but we offer a 100% money-back guarantee for your peace of mind. If, for whatever reason you’re not completely satisfied, please contact us at support@terryreal.com within 48 hours of the first live call and we’ll issue you a full refund, no questions asked. 

About Your Teachers

Anna Sterk

LMFT, Senior RLT Therapist & Educator

A certified RLT therapist since 2017, Anna Sterk (she/her), is a senior member of the Relational Life Institute Faculty. Her clinical career has been focused on systems and relationships from the beginning. She has worked in community mental health, eating disorder treatment, and private practice.

As she worked with couples and sexuality, Anna found that the way sex was discussed in trainings—and Western culture at large—didn’t match what she was seeing in her office. She drew on her history of training in feminist and cultural studies, integrated with her training as a systemic therapist, to find a way of working with couples—and sex and sexuality specifically—that really took root when she began studying with Terry Real in 2012. 

She found that RLT provided the framework, techniques, and skills that made the abstract ideas make sense and created the path that Anna’s life and work have taken since that first training. Anna is now at the forefront of shaping how RLT tools and principles can translate to sex therapy, helping transform our relationships to sex—both within ourselves and with our partners

Belinda Berman-Real

M.A., M.F.T., C.S.A.T.

Belinda Berman-Real has worked with individuals, couples, and families from all walks of life in Cambridge and Newton, Massachusetts, for over 25 years.

For much of that time, she has supervised and taught therapists of all disciplines — psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers — in four areas: trauma work, addictions recovery, couples counseling, and individual therapy. 

Belinda’s therapy approach is to get to the heart of things thoroughly and efficiently.  It is compassionate and active, collaborative and directive, giving clients the help they need to make their lives and relationships as good as they deserve to be.

She specializes  in sex addiction recovery, trauma recovery, and couples issues. I offer individual therapy, couples therapy, groups, and workshops. In Sex and RLT, she will join Anna for Class 3 to share her insights on taking a trauma-informed approach to sex therapy. 

Dr. Lori Davis

Sexologist & RLT Certified Coach

Lori Davis is a clinical sexologist who combines medicine with counseling and science with somatics to bring clients the mind-body support needed to create authentic, intimate, relational lives. 

She works with clients with a variety of concerns, but specializes in desire discrepancy and the experience of creating fierce sexual intimacy in long term relationships. Lori is a dual board certified nurse practitioner, AASECT Certified Sex Counselor, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and Relational Life Therapy Certified Coach. She is passionate about bringing a sexological perspective to RLT… and bringing RLT to the sexological world! She is in private practice in Ithaca, NY. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this course live?

Yes—this course consists of 5 LIVE 90-minute classes and 3 bonus 60-minute Q&A calls, all led by Anna Sterk from the RLI Faculty. 

The classes take place on the following dates and times:

90-minute LIVE classes with Anna Sterk:

  • Class 1: Tuesday, March 11, 12–1:30 pm ET
  • Class 2: Thursday, March 13, 12–1:30 pm ET
  • Class 3: Thursday, March 20, 12–1:30 pm ET (with Belinda Berman-Real)
  • Class 4: Tuesday, March 25, 12–1:30 pm ET (with Dr. Lori Davis)
  • Class 5: Tuesday, April 1, 12–1:30 pm ET

60-minute Bonus Q&A calls:

  • Call 1: Tuesday, March 18, 12–1pm ET
  • Call 2: Thursday, March 27, 12–1pm ET
  • Call 3: Thursday, April 3, 12–1pm ET

Don’t worry—all classes will be recorded and stored in your private learning platform, the RLT Hub, for you to watch at your convenience. You’ll receive log in and access details as soon as you enroll.

Forever! You’ll have lifetime access to the class recordings inside the private learning platform, to watch back as many times as you like. 

Yes—7.5 CEs are available for professionals who attend all 5 live calls with Terry Real for an additional $40 fee. Find more information on Continuing Ed:  CE Details HERE

A limited number of partial scholarships are available for those with financial need. Please email us at support@terryreal.com with a brief outline of the following: your financial ability, your unique situation or challenge you are facing, and how you plan to use your learnings from this course (2-3 sentences max).

We’re confident you’ll love Sex and RLT, but we offer a 100% money-back guarantee for your peace of mind. If, for whatever reason you’re not completely satisfied, please contact us at support@terryreal.com within 48 hours of the first live call and we’ll issue you a full refund, no questions asked. 

Learn to Confidently Address What’s Really Behind Sex-Related Challenges to Help Your Clients Enjoy Deeply Fulfilling Sex Lives

Enroll Now

Copyright © 2024 Relational Life Institute

CE REQUIREMENTS:

The Relational Life Therapy Level 1 Training

Homestudy Course Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Terry Real, LICSW

This home study course is approved for continuing education hours as described below.

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

7.5 CE hours for Beginner Mental Health Professionals

Relational Life Institute (RLI) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7495. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Relational Life Institute (RLI) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

ACEP No. 7495

Target Audience

Social Workers, MFTs, Counselors, Substance Abuse Counselors, Nurses, and LMHCs, LMFTs, Educators, Coaches, Chemical Dependency Counselors 

Course Content Level

The course content is appropriate for beginner level clinicians.

Course Description

Terry Real presents RLI’s introductory training course, Relational Life Therapy Level 1.

Over five recorded classes you’ll be introduced to the powerful principals behind Relational Life Therapy (RLT) as taught by Terry Real. RLT Level 1 is designed to give you an in-depth introduction to the theory and practice of the RLT model.  

During this course, students will discover the differences between RLT and traditional psychodynamic therapy. Also considered are the stances of “one-down shame” and “one-up grandiosity” in couples; according to RLT, true intimacy can only happen when partners are “same-as” with each other. RLT is about action and lasting results, helping people to make major changes to the negative parts of their character, and the critical role and stance of the therapist is described. Presented also are the concepts of Relational Mindfulness, Joining Through The Truth, and psychological patriarchy.

RLT Level 1 is the first step toward RLT certification and will prepare you for the Level 2 & 3 trainings to deepen your understanding of Relational Life Therapy.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this course, participants can expect to:

  1. Compare the RLT phases and how RLT differs from traditional therapy. 
  2. Describe the role and approach of the practitioner in RLT.
  3. Diagnose the RLT view of power imbalances in couples, of psychological patriarchy, and how these are addressed through therapy.
  4. Summarize Relational Mindfulness and the “fight, flight, fix” responses. 
  5. Describe the role and approach of the therapist in RLT.
  6. Explain the two types of leverage.
  7. Discuss the concept of appropriate discrepancy and how it works with neuroplasticity.
  8. List the 8 diagnostic lenses in RLT.
  9. Interpret how preconditions are addressed in RLT.
  10. Compare the two types of boundaries.
  11. Demonstrate strategies for empowering latent clients. 

Throughout the course, you’ll gain deeper competency in and be able to: 

  • Illustrate that true intimacy can only happen when partners are “same-as” – neither one-up nor one-down.
  • Discuss how RLT practitioners will confront and teach their clients how to live relationally.
  • Hypothesize how RLT practitioners use judicious self-disclosure, sharing stories of they use these same skills in their own relationships.

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 7.5 NBCC credit hours ($40 additional fee)

CE Certificate Requirements: 

  • Satisfactory Course Completion
  • Pay $40 fee
  • Participants must have paid for this course, completed a course Evaluation, and passed the test (80% or higher grade) showing the material has been learned in order to receive a certificate.
  • No partial credit is available.
  • Failure to complete and submit these materials will result in forfeiture of CE credit for the entire course. No exceptions can be made. Partial credit is not available. 
  • Instructions are included in your RLT Course Library for Homestudy Level 1 at https://learn.relationallife.com/
  • If you have questions please contact support@terryreal.com for guidance.

It is the participant’s responsibility to check if their Board, state, organization is approved for these Continuing Ed credit hours. There is no partial credit. No refunds will be given on CE purchases for failure to check state approval.

Cost

This course is $397.00 for a single payment or three payments of $137.00

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program.

Cancellation Policy

You may request a refund up to 2 days after purchase.

Please contact support@terryreal.com if you wish to cancel your purchase.

Accommodations

If you need special accommodations or have questions, please contact us at support@terryreal.com

Instructor’s Bios: 

Terry Real, LICSW: Terry Real is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression, the straight-talking How Can I Get Through to You? Reconnecting Men and Women, The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Make Love Work and most recently Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship just debuted in June 2022.  Terry founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents as well as a professional training program for clinicians.   Terry’s work, with its rigorous commonsense approach, speaks to both men and women. A proponent of “full-throttle marriage,” Terry has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

BONUS Material Instructors (CE hours not included in bonus content)

Dr. Gabor Maté:

Dr. Gabor Maté is a physician who specialized in family practice, palliative care, and addiction medicine. A renowned speaker, physician, and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, childhood trauma, stress, and mind/body connection. He is called a “people whisperer” for his gift of seeing deep inside anyone. His life’s work is dedicated to liberating people from their childhood trauma so that they can make a choice of how to live in the present moment.

Carol Gilligan, Ph.D., of New York, NY has been recognized by many institutions and organizations for her efforts in the area of women’s advancement and moral psychology. She studied literature at Swarthmore College as an undergrad, and she graduated from Radcliffe in 1960 with a master’s in psychology. She continued to Harvard, where she received her Ph.D. in psychology in 1964. Three years later, Gilligan took a teaching position at Harvard where she worked alongside Erik Erikson and Lawrence Kohlberg. While Gilligan worked as a research assistant along Kohlberg, known for his theory of moral development, she began focusing on the moral dilemmas and development of young girls. In addition to the Grawemeyer Award for Education, Gilligan has also received the Heinz Award for Human Condition and was named one of the most influential people of the year by TIME Magazine in 1996. She has also published works of fiction and developed a full-length play based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter.

Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling.

Contact information: ACEP Administrator & Operations Director for Relational Life Institute (RLI), Lisa Sullivan follows: 291 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459; 617-861-3030 lisa@relationallife.com; www.relationallife.com



CE REQUIREMENTS:

AWAITING Conference CE REQUIREMNTS

The Relational Life Institute is pleased to offer:

An Introduction to Relational Life Therapy 

Relational Life Institute (RLI) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7495. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Relational Life Institute (RLI) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

ACEP No. 7495

Format: A one-day LIVE training facilitated by Desirae Ysasi, LPC-S, RLI Director of Faculty

Location: Regent’s University London, Inner Cir, London NW1 4NS, United Kingdom

Continuing Education credits offered:  5.5 credit hours.

At the completion of this course, all participants will be invited by email to purchase the 5.5 CE credits for a $40 fee. To receive a certificate, you must attend the full course. There is no partial credit, attendance will be taken.

Content: If you’re new to the Relational Life Therapy (RLT) model – or just want to revisit the foundations ahead of your training with 2-Day Training with Terry Real.  Join RLI’s Director of Training Desirae Ysasi for a pre-workshop training the day before Terry Real’s course begin.

You’ll explore the theory behind RLT, along with some of the effective tools and strategies that move couples toward meaningful change.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this course, participants can expect to:

  • Recognize the 5 guiding principles of RLT in clinical practice.
  • Identify the 3 parts of the self in RLT and their roles in relationship dynamics.
  • Interpret the key differences between RLT and traditional couples’ therapy.
  • Summarize the 3 Phases of RLT and the goals and therapeutic intentions of each.

Target Audience: Social Workers, MFTs, Counselors, Substance Abuse Counselors, Nurses, and LMHCs, LMFT’s, Educators, Coaches, Chemical Dependency Counselors 

Course Content Level: The course content is appropriate for Beginner level clinicians.

Cost:

Oct 27th one-day training with Desirae ONLY: £170 early bird until July 1 (then £195)

Oct 28-29th two-day training with Terry ONLY: £375 early bird until July 1 (then £425)

BOTH events (3 full days of training): £545 early bird until July 1 (then £620)

Course Dates & Hours:  Monday, October 27, 2025, from 9am to 4pm

TO REGISTER: Please visit:   https://relationallife.com/london-2025-trainings

Cancellation Policy:

We know sometimes plans can change so you’re protected by a 100% money-back guarantee until September 26, 2025. Please contact us at support@terryreal.com before September 26, 2025, and we will refund you. Any cancellations after this date will not be eligible for refunds.

If you need special accommodations or have questions, please contact us at support@terryreal.com 

Please contact our Support team if you have any questions support@terryreal.com

Instructor’s Bio:

Desirae Ysasi, LPC-S is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Supervisor with nearly two decades of experience, specializing in relationship counseling. Serving the San Antonio community since 2006, she works exclusively with couples in romantic relationships, folks in non-traditional romantic relationship structures (ethical nonmonogamy), and adults seeking to improve family dynamics. Desirae became a Certified Relational Life Therapist in 2018 trained directly by Terry Real, the founder of Relational Life Therapy (RLT). She joined the faculty of the Relational Life Institute in 2022 and now serves as Director of Training & Certification, overseeing the global certification program. She has been the owner of Ysasi Counseling since 2014 and in the fall of 2024, Desirae opened Relational Life Texas, a virtual therapy group practice focused on RLT, providing relationship therapy across Texas.

CONFLICT of Interest: There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support for this event.

Grievance Procedure:

If a student believes they have been discriminated against, they can submit a written complaint that includes their name, address, phone number, location, date, and a detailed description of the issue. If a student with a disability disagrees with the accommodation provided or has any other grievances, they can schedule a meeting to discuss and attempt to find a solution together. If the student is still not satisfied with the accommodation after further discussion, they can contact the Operations Director for

the Relational Life Institute (RLI), Lisa Sullivan, via phone, email, or mail. If the grievance cannot be resolved, the complainant will be advised to contact the appropriate Ethics Committee or Licensing Board. The Operations Director will keep all grievances and their resolutions confidential in locked files.

A copy of this Grievance Procedure is available upon request.

Contact information: ACEP Administrator & Operations Director for Relational Life Institute (RLI), Lisa Sullivan follows: 291 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459; 617-861-3030 lisa@relationallife.com

CE REQUIREMENTS:

The Relational Life Institute is pleased to offer:

The RLT Level 1 Training Course 

Relational Life Institute (RLI) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7495. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Relational Life Institute (RLI) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

ACEP No. 7495

FORMAT: Five LIVE Online Sessions on Zoom, facilitated by Bonny Slim, LMFT and Terry Real, LICSW

Continuing Education credits offered: 10 credit hours for 5 Classes. Full attendance required.

Requirements for CE Certificate:  At the end of this course, you’ll receive an email inviting you to request your Continuing Education certificate.
The certificate is free of charge. To qualify, you must:

  • Attend the entire course (no partial credit is available)
  • Pass an assessment quiz demonstrating your understanding of the material
  • Attendance will be recorded to verify completion.

Course Content:

Over five live classes you’ll be introduced to the powerful principals behind Relational Life Therapy (RLT). RLT Level 1 is designed to give you an in-depth introduction to the theory and practice of the RLT model.   

Discover the differences between RLT and traditional psychodynamic therapy. Also considered are the stances of “one-down shame” and “one-up grandiosity” in couples; according to RLT, true intimacy can only happen when partners are “same-as” with each other. RLT is about action and swift results, helping people to make major changes to the negative parts of their character, and the critical role and stance of the therapist is described. Presented also are the concepts of Relational Mindfulness, Joining Through the Truth, and psychological patriarchy.

RLT Level 1 is the first step toward RLT certification and will prepare you for the Level 2 & 3 trainings.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this course, participants can expect to:

  1. Compare the RLT phases and how RLT differs from traditional therapy.
  2. Describe the role and approach of the therapists in RLT.
  3. Diagnose the RLT view of power imbalances in couples, of psychological patriarchy, and how these are addressed through therapy.
  4. Summarize Relational Mindfulness and the “fight, flight, fix” responses. 
  5. Illustrate the role and approach of the therapist in RLT.
  6. Describe the role and approach of the therapist in RLT.
  7. Identify different types of leverage.
  8. Discuss the concept of appropriate discrepancy and how it works with Neuroplasticity.
  9. List the Seven lenses.
  10. Interpret how preconditions are addressed in RLT.
  11. Compare the two types of boundaries.
  12. Demonstrate strategies for latent people.

 

Throughout the course, you’ll gain deeper competency in and be able to: 

  •  Illustrate that true intimacy can only happen when partners are “same as” —neither one-up nor one-down.
  • Discuss how RLT Therapists and Coaches will confront and teach their clients how to live truly relationally.
  • Hypothesize how RLT Therapists and Coaches use judicious self-disclosure, sharing stories of they use these same skills in their own relationships.

Target Audience: Social Workers, MFTs, Counselors, Substance Abuse Counselors, Nurses, and LMHCs, LMFT’s, Educators, Coaches, Chemical Dependency Counselors 

Course Content Level: The course content is appropriate for Beginner level clinicians.

Cost:  $395 in full; or 3 payments of $179 each

Course Dates & Hours:    

Each class will meet from 12pm to 2pm Eastern Time on these dates:

Session 1 – January 22, 2026
Session 2 – January 29, 2026
Session 3 – February 5, 2026
Session 4 – February 12, 2026
Session 5 – February 19, 2026 

TO REGISTER: Please visit this site for registration:

https://relationallife.com/level-1-training

Cancellation Policy: You may request a refund up to 2 days after the first live session.

Please contact support@terryreal.com if you wish to cancel your purchase.

If you need special accommodations or have questions, please contact us at support@terryreal.com 

 

Please contact our Support team if you have any questions support@terryreal.com

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW: Terry Real is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression, the straight-talking How Can I Get Through to You? Reconnecting Men and Women, The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Make Love Work and most recently Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship just debuted in June 2022.  Terry founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents as well as a professional training program for clinicians.   Terry’s work, with its rigorous commonsense approach, speaks to both men and women. A proponent of “full-throttle marriage,” Terry has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

CONFLICT of Interest: There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support for this event.

Grievance Procedure:

If a student believes they have been discriminated against, they can submit a written complaint that includes their name, address, phone number, location, date, and a detailed description of the issue. If a student with a disability disagrees with the accommodation provided or has any other grievances, they can schedule a meeting to discuss and attempt to find a solution together. If the student is still not satisfied with the accommodation after further discussion, they can contact the Operations Director for

the Relational Life Institute (RLI), Lisa Sullivan, via phone, email, or mail. If the grievance cannot be resolved, the complainant will be advised to contact the appropriate Ethics Committee or Licensing Board. The Operations Director will keep all grievances and their resolutions confidential in locked files.

A copy of this Grievance Procedure is available upon request.

Contact information: ACEP Administrator & Operations Director for Relational Life Institute (RLI), Lisa Sullivan follows: 291 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459; 617-861-3030 lisa@relationallife.com

www.relationallife.com

 

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