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From Expert in Male Psychology, Terry Real

How to Reach the Men Who Don’t Want to Be There

working with men

Join Working With Men to learn the precise therapeutic tools and interventions to engage and transform even the most resistant male clients. 

Enroll Now

100% Money-Back Guarantee

working with men

From Expert in Male Psychology, Terry Real

How to Reach the Men Who Don’t Want to Be There

Join Working With Men to learn the precise therapeutic tools and interventions to engage and transform even the most resistant male clients. 

Enroll Now

How to Reach the Men Who Don’t Want to Be There

The ones who:
  • Intellectualize instead of feel.
  • Minimize and deflect to avoid discomfort.
  • Remain hellbent on being right, whatever the cost.
  • Dominate and dictate to get their way.
  • Think everyone else is the problem.

“Why should I listen to you?”

And when faced with men like this, you know you need to get their buy-in fast, or this couple probably isn’t coming back.

Which is easier said than done, because… 

We simply were not taught to work with difficult men in therapy school. How many times have you tried to engage a man like that through nurture? By being nice? 

Over 40 years of working with challenging men, Terry Real is clear on one thing:  Clients like this do not need you to be nice to them. They need you to wake them up to the impact of their behavior, to understand the consequences of not doing the work… And that requires a very different set of skills – both for them and you. 

Introducing Working With Men

working with men
working with men
Learn to confidently confront, engage, and transform even the most resistant, grandiose men.
In this LIVE online course, expert in male psychology, Terry Real, will give you the precise tools to:
  • Get buy-in from men who would rather be anywhere else.
  • Cut through defensiveness without shaming or alienating.
  • Confront grandiosity and avoidance while keeping the client engaged.
  • Skills you can teach your male clients to help them show up better in their relationships.
Plus, you’ll access 3 Q&A calls with senior RLT Faculty member, Julie Rudiger, LCSW, that will give you further practical guidance on the course material and share how to effectively run men’s groups as part of your practice. 
Enroll Now

“ In the world of boys and men, you are either a winner or a loser, one up or one down, in control or controlled, man enough or a girl. Where in this setup is the capacity to love? ”

Terry Real

Terry Real

Here’s an Overview of Everything You Get In Working With Men

5 recorded 90-minute Classes with Terry Real
Join Terry Real for an in-depth exploration of how to effectively work with men, exploring the unique challenges it can present. You’ll learn to break through resistance and guide men into emotional responsibility, connection, and lasting relational change.
3 recorded 90-minute Q&A Classes with Julie Rudiger
Three bonus classes with Q&A to gain deeper, practical guidance on how to effectively run your own men’s coaching groups. 
Lifetime Access to the Class Recordings and Course Material
Refer back to the material as many times as you need to support your work. 
You also receive these special bonuses…

Modern Masculinity with Terry Real

In this 1-hour class and live-recorded Q&A, Terry discusses the roots of male depression, performance-based self-esteem, and the cost of disconnection for their relationships, health, and families.

From Boys to Men: Trauma and the Crisis of Masculinity with Carol Gilligan

A 1.5 hour conversation with Terry and feminist psychologist
Carol Gilligan, exploring the influence of “traditional masculinity,” including how men learn to disconnect from their childhood wounds, emotions, or behaviors that are deemed “weak”
or “vulnerable.”

Working with the Many Parts of Men with Richard Schwartz

In this 1-hour interview, Terry and Richard Schwartz, founder of Internal Family Systems (IFS), discuss working with men and concepts of masculinity through both the RLT and IFS lenses. 

Male Aggression with Dr. James Gilligan

In this 1-hour interview, Terry is joined by Dr. James Gilligan, a legendary psychiatrist specialized in the causes and prevention of violent behavior, to discuss male aggression toward themselves, other men, and women.

What You’ll Learn

Explore the Working With Men curriculum.
Class 1:

Masculinity Now:

Understanding the Current Crisis and How We Got Here

You’ll explore:

  • The cultural “male code” and psychological patriarchy, and how these create disconnection and dysfunction.
  • Why grandiosity and shame are not opposites, but two sides of the same coin.
  • How traditional masculinity operates as a form of trauma: both disempowering abuse (shame) and false empowerment (grandiosity).
  • How invulnerability and emotional unavailability have left men relationally impoverished and are now driving their partnerships apart. 
  • Key RLT techniques like “Joining Through The Truth” and finding leverage to motivate change in men.
Class 2:

Men in Relationships:

Disconnection, Conflict, and the Longing to Be Seen

You’ll explore:

  • The Three Rings of Patriarchy – and how this framework perpetuates rigid gender roles and blocks intimacy. 
  • How to reframe masculine identity and promote relational strength through concepts like the “Generous Gentleman.”
  • How male shame is rooted in impossible standards – and how to differentiate shame from guilt.
  • The 3 types of unhealthy self-esteem and how to reconnect men into their inherent sense of worth.
  • The Relationship Grid – a tool to identify your clients’ self-esteem and boundaries, & guide them back into the center of relational health.
Class 3:

How to Engage Men:

Resistance and Relational Leverage

You’ll explore:

  • Why traditional therapy approaches often don’t work for men – and how most men enter therapy due to their partner’s dissatisfaction rather than personal unhappiness.
  • Why men can be difficult to engage – and a fresh approach to reach them with accountability and compassion. 
  • How to identify the 3 types of difficult men: boys, bullies, and avoiders – and the tools to effectively work with each.
  • How to find leverage and motivate men to create profound relational change without triggering collapse or resistance.

Class 4:

Transforming Men by Reconstructing Masculinity

You’ll explore:

  • Understanding and working with resistant, grandiose men who are walled off and disconnected from empathy, consequence, or emotional feedback. 
  • Critical use of positive and negative leverage to motivate change. 
  • How to engage the wider family system to create the necessary conditions for growth and deepen emotional impact.
Class 5:

Bringing It Home:
Healing the Intergenerational Legacy and Creating Lasting Change

You’ll explore:

  • The three core parts of the self: the Wounded Child, Adaptive Child, and Wise Adult. 
  • Principles of RLT inner child work, and how to work with the client’s own Wise Adult self to facilitate healing.
  • How the Adaptive Child and trauma form simultaneously via reaction (disempowerment) and modelling (empowerment). 
  • Clinical examples of inner child work and how it can translate directly into relational repair. 
  • How to support men in making sustained behavioral changes & integrating new relational habits through the lens of healthy masculinity.
Enroll Now

Expand Your Practice With Men’s Coaching Groups
3 Q&A Calls Julie Rudiger

Through your 3 included Q&A calls, Julie will provide deeper insights into how you can run men’s coaching groups as part of your practice. Having facilitated numerous men’s coaching groups herself, Julie brings a wealth of experience to the table.

You’ll explore:

  • How to model vulnerability, openness, and emotional honesty with male clients.
  • Create group dynamics that foster trust and, and honest dialogue between men.
  • Anticipate and navigate common challenges when working with men’s groups.
  • Apply RLT techniques from Terry’s classes specifically for group contexts.
  • Use examples and scenarios to adapt your approach for different types of men.

By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to facilitate impactful men’s groups that promote lasting growth and connection.

Enroll Now

Who Is Working With Men For?

Much of this course will focus on how to work with men in the couples – or family – context. This is the setting you are most likely to encounter resistant, grandiose, anti-relational men.

While it is invaluable for therapists and coaches working with couples, it’s also useful for those who work with men 1:1, or run men’s circles. You will gain a deeper understanding of the broader patriarchal conditioning that affects all men and the roadmap to help them reconnect – to themselves and those who love them.

What Your Colleagues Say About The RLT Approach to Working With Men

“Practical steps, down-to-earth guidance…

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.

“Practical steps, down-to-earth guidance…

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.

“Practical steps, down-to-earth guidance…

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.

Enroll in Working With Men Today

Choose the payment option that best suits you.

3 x Monthly Payments

$179

Single Payment

$497

Our Promise and Guarantee

We’re confident you’ll love Working With Men, 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. 

Terry Real,

the creator of Relational Life Therapy

Terry Real, LICSW, has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.” A family therapist and expert in men’s issues, Terry Real is the creator of Relational Life Therapy (RLT), a groundbreaking therapeutic approach that equips people with the essential relational skills to build and sustain authentic connections – to themselves, each other, and the planet.

The bestselling author of four books, Terry wrote the first ever book on male depression – I Don’t Want To Talk About It – in the 1990s. Terry’s most recent book is the New York Times bestseller, Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship, which guides readers toward deeper intimacy and fulfillment.

Known as “the turnaround guy,” Terry is famous for his extraordinary ability to save couples on the brink of divorce – and reach even the most resistant, anti-relational men. Through his esteemed training school, the Relational Life Institute, he has trained thousands of mental health practitioners in his RLT method to date. Terry is committed to relational empowerment, helping everyone develop the skills needed for meaningful, lasting relationships.

Julie Rudiger, LCSW,

Senior RLT Faculty Member

Julie Rudiger has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the last 30 years. In 2002, Julie opened her private practice, where she has helped hundreds of individuals and couples over the last three decades. Her professional journey took a transformative turn in 2008 when she began training with Terry Real, the founder of Relational Life Therapy (RLT). Julie has since used RLT to guide clients in discovering self-esteem, healing early wounds, and fostering deeper, more authentic relationships.

A faculty member at the Relational Life Institute since 2022, Julie now trains other therapists and leads community workshops, including Men’s Groups and Relationship Skills Bootcamps. Additionally, she is trained in EMDR, ACT, DBT, Gestalt, and the Enneagram.

Learn to Guide Hard-To-Reach Men Into Emotional Responsibility and Healthy Connection,

Enroll Now

Free instant access. We will never spam you, unsubscribe anytime.

The Relational Life

Working With Grandiosity

Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Terry Real, LICSW

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

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

9.5 NBCC CE credit hours for Beginner Mental Health Professionals ($40 additional fee).
In this photo a seal logo with two crossed rings, with the writing "approved continuing education provider nbcc seal"

ACEP No. 7495 

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. 

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.

Format:

Self-Paced Online Course

Course Description

Over 5 LIVE 90-minute classes with Terry Real, you will learn how to effectively address issues of grandiosity in your clients. You’ll discover a range of strategies and techniques to confront grandiose clients with the impact of their behaviors, build an alliance, motivate them to change, and guide them into connection—with themselves and those around them.

Learning Objectives:

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

  • Identify what’s deficient in grandiose clients and understand how you supply it as the therapist.
  • Identify strategies to confidently handle resistance, evasion, and verbal abuse.
  • Understand how to reconnect grandiose clients to themselves and those around them.

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

Understand the origins of grandiosity and why it isn’t always a defense against shame.

Identify techniques to find leverage to motivate grandiose clients to engage in the therapy.

Explain why taking sides is critical when working with grandiosity—and understand how to do it.

Registration URL

relationallife.com/working-with-grandiosity/

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 9.5 NBCC credit hours ($40 fee)

CE Certificate Requirements:

Satisfactory Course Completion required:
  • 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.
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 CE credit hours. There is no partial credit. No refunds will be given on CE purchases for failure to check state approval.

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

One-Time Payment

$495

3 Payments

3 x $175

$525 in total

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program. 

Accommodations

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

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.

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, The New Rules of Marriage, and Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents as well as a professional training program for clinicians. Terry has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

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 support@terryreal.com www.relationallife.com 

The Relational Life

Level 2 Homestudy

Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Terry Real, LICSW

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

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

10 NBCC CE hours for Intermediate Mental Health Professionals ($40 fee)
In this photo a seal logo with two crossed rings, with the writing "approved continuing education provider nbcc seal"

ACEP No. 7495 

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. 

ICF (International Coaching Federation)

10 ICF CCE hours (2 Core Competency + 8 Resource Development)
ICF CCE
International Coaching Federation (ICF) has approved this program for 2 Core Competency hours and 8 Resource Development hours. (Resource Development includes training formerly called Personal Development, Business Development, or Other Skills and Tools.)

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 Intermediate level clinicians.

Format:

Self-Paced Online Course

Course Description

Building on the foundational diagnostic lenses introduced in RLT Level 1, this course invites clinicians into the transformative next phase of Relational Life Therapy: deep trauma work. Therapists expand their capacity to understand each partner’s relational stance—how it was formed, how it functions defensively, and how it can be reshaped in the service of intimacy. Participants learn to conduct powerful inner child work in the presence of the partner, work effectively with resistance and leverage, and integrate attachment styles with trauma and relational stances—leaving with practical, structured tools for facilitating trauma repair within couples therapy.

Learning Objectives:

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

  • Explain when to use positive and negative leverage
  • Describe joining through, as opposed to clobbering someone with, the truth
  • Describe using the family of origin work to rebalance the relationship
  • Explain moving from the present into the past by using the “affect bridge” (when have you felt these feelings before?)
  • Explain Transitioning to Family of Origin by using the 3 questions: (Whom did you see do this? Who did it to you? And who did you do it to and no one stopped you?)
  • Explain how to frame current difficulties as the opportunity to transform one’s legacy and hand over a different future to one’s children
  • List 4 types of trauma and where they fall on the Trauma Grid
  • Describe how the Adaptive Child is formed
  • Discuss re-parenting the Adaptive and Wounded Child parts
  • List the five fears behind resistance and how to respond to them
  • Describe understanding and befriending the resistant part
  • Describe using positive and negative leverage with a resistant part
  • Explain how to sell the value of intimacy along with its skills to a Type 1 Love Avoidant
  • Explain how to teach negotiation and the assertion of needs along with appropriate trauma work when dealing with a Type 2 Love Avoidant
  • Explain how to work on self-esteem, boundaries, and the remembrance of abundance when working with Love Dependents

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

Deepen understanding of each partner’s relational stance and its developmental origins

Identify and address multi-generational legacies influencing current couple dynamics

Conduct structured inner child work in the presence of the partner to foster empathy and intimacy

Facilitate trauma repair within the relational system rather than in isolation

Recognize and effectively work with client resistance using leverage principles

Practice detachment from outcome while maintaining clear therapeutic leadership

Apply attachment theory within RLT to guide interventions and strengthen relational connection

Registration URL

relationallife.com/level-2-training/

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 10 NBCC or ICF credit hours ($40 fee)

CE Certificate Requirements:

Satisfactory Course Completion required:
  • Participants must have paid for this course and attended all five LIVE online sessions in full in order to receive a Continuing Education certificate.
  • No partial credit is available — partial attendance does not qualify for partial CE hours.
  • At the end of the final session you’ll receive an email inviting you to request your certificate. The certificate is free of charge.
  • Failure to attend all sessions will result in forfeiture of CE credit for the entire course. No exceptions can be made.
If you have questions please contact support@terryreal.com for guidance.
It is the participant’s responsibility to check if their Board, state, or organization is approved for these CE credit hours. There is no partial credit. No refunds will be given on CE purchases for failure to check state approval.

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

One-Time Payment

$397

3 Payments

3 x $137

$411 in total

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program. 

Accommodations

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

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.

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, The New Rules of Marriage, and Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents as well as a professional training program for clinicians. Terry has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

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 support@terryreal.com www.relationallife.com 

The Relational Life

Level 1 – Homestudy

Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Terry Real, LICSW

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

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

10 NBCC CE hours for Beginner Mental Health Professionals ($40 fee)
In this photo a seal logo with two crossed rings, with the writing "approved continuing education provider nbcc seal"

ACEP No. 7495 

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. 

ICF (International Coaching Federation)

10 ICF CCE hours (7 Core Competency + 3 Resource Development)
ICF CCE
International Coaching Federation (ICF) has approved this program for 7 Core Competency hours and 3 Resource Development hours. (Resource Development includes training formerly called Personal Development, Business Development, or Other Skills and Tools.)

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.

Format:

Self-Paced Online Course

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 principles behind Relational Life Therapy (RLT) as taught by Terry Real, designed to give you an in-depth introduction to the theory and practice of the RLT model. Students will discover the differences between RLT and traditional psychodynamic therapy, and explore the stances of “one-down shame” and “one-up grandiosity” in couples. RLT is about action and lasting results, and the concepts of Relational Mindfulness, Joining Through The Truth, and psychological patriarchy are presented. RLT Level 1 is the first step toward RLT certification and prepares you for the Level 2 & 3 trainings.

Learning Objectives:

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

  • Compare the RLT phases and how RLT differs from traditional therapy.
  • Describe the role and approach of the practitioner in RLT.
  • Diagnose the RLT view of power imbalances in couples, of psychological patriarchy, and how these are addressed through therapy.
  • Summarize Relational Mindfulness and the “fight, flight, fix” responses.
  • Describe the role and approach of the therapist in RLT.
  • Explain the two types of leverage.
  • Discuss the concept of appropriate discrepancy and how it works with neuroplasticity.
  • List the 8 diagnostic lenses in RLT.
  • Interpret how preconditions are addressed in RLT.
  • Compare the two types of boundaries.
  • 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 how they use these same skills in their own relationships.

Registration URL

relationallife.com/level-1-homestudy/

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 10 NBCC or ICF credit hours ($40 fee)

CE Certificate Requirements:

Satisfactory Course Completion required:
  • Participants must have paid for this course, completed a course Evaluation, and passed the test (80% or higher grade)
  • No partial credit is available
  • Failure to complete materials results in forfeiture of CE credit for the entire course. No exceptions.
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 CE credit hours. No refunds will be given on CE purchases for failure to check state approval.

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

One-Time Payment

$397

3 Payments

3 x $137

$411 in total

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program. 

Accommodations

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

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.

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, The New Rules of Marriage, and Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents as well as a professional training program for clinicians. Terry has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

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 support@terryreal.com www.relationallife.com 

The Relational Life

Level 3 Homestudy

Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Terry Real, LICSW

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

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

11 NBCC CE hours for Advanced Mental Health Professionals ($40 fee)
In this photo a seal logo with two crossed rings, with the writing "approved continuing education provider nbcc seal"

ACEP No. 7495 

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. 

ICF (International Coaching Federation)

11 ICF CCE hours (7 Core Competency + 4 Resource Development)
ICF CCE
International Coaching Federation (ICF) has approved this program for 7 Core Competency hours and 4 Resource Development hours. (Resource Development includes training formerly called Personal Development, Business Development, or Other Skills and Tools.)

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 advanced level clinicians.

Format:

Self-Paced Online Course

Course Description

This is an advanced training for RLT clinicians who have completed our Level 1 and Level 2 trainings. Terry guides participants through a combination of lecture, video presentation, discussion, role plays, and a previously recorded LIVE demonstration of RLT couples therapy, grounding theory in practice. You will observe and then practice the more advanced techniques of RLT—drilling down into how to empower the latent and reconnect the blatant—focusing on the art of therapeutic coaching and mentoring clients into relationality.

Learning Objectives:

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

  • Practice ways to increase skill in working with family of origin issues.
  • Construct empowering reframes.
  • Demonstrate blocking and repositioning.
  • Analyze and articulate the couple’s choreography, their dynamic (e.g. the more she pursues, the more he withdraws).
  • Integrate Attachment Theory into RLT.
  • Identify and work on your “edges” as an RLT therapist.
  • Interpret the tri-part system of the psyche: wise adult, adaptive child, wounded child.
  • Measure the neurobiological underpinnings of trauma adaptation and recovery.
  • Utilize their clients’ relationships as crucibles for their own transformation.
  • Explain to your clients how to use the relational map and tool kit, a relational technology, that has the power to deliver on our new romantic ambitions.

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

Joining through the truth

What is relationality, what is self esteem?

What is real intimacy?

Triggering, types of leverage, relational reckoning

Taking a fixed position

Identifying reacting and modeling behaviors

Using skill transference, relational jujitsu

Constructing empowering reframes

RLT Stances, amplifying progress and dealing with resistance

Blocking and repositioning

Registration URL

relationallife.com/level-3-training/

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 11 NBCC or ICF credit hours ($40 fee)

CE Certificate Requirements:

Satisfactory Course Completion required:
  • Participants must have paid for this course and attended all five LIVE online sessions in full in order to receive a Continuing Education certificate.
  • No partial credit is available — partial attendance does not qualify for partial CE hours.
  • At the end of the final session you’ll receive an email inviting you to request your certificate. The certificate is free of charge.
  • Failure to attend all sessions will result in forfeiture of CE credit for the entire course. No exceptions can be made.
If you have questions please contact support@terryreal.com for guidance.
It is the participant’s responsibility to check if their Board, state, or organization is approved for these CE credit hours. There is no partial credit. No refunds will be given on CE purchases for failure to check state approval.

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

One-Time Payment

$397

3 Payments

3 x $187

$561 in total

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program. 

Accommodations

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

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.

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, The New Rules of Marriage, and Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents as well as a professional training program for clinicians. Terry has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

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 support@terryreal.com www.relationallife.com 

The Relational Life

Working With Infidelity

Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Terry Real, LICSW

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

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

7 NBCC CE hours for Intermediate Mental Health Professionals ($40 fee)
In this photo a seal logo with two crossed rings, with the writing "approved continuing education provider nbcc seal"

ACEP No. 7495 

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. 

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 Intermediate level clinicians.

Format:

Self-Paced Online Course

Course Description

A 5-module previously recorded training on how to work with couples to help them come back from infidelity. This offers the unique RLT perspective on working with infidelity, where not only do we help couples survive an affair, but we focus on using the crisis as an opportunity for deeper change in the relationship.

Learning Objectives:

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

  1. Summarize the goals of treatment: using the crisis as a springboard for transformational change in the character of each partner and the essential character of the union itself
  2. Compare the 2 phases of treatment: containment and transformation
  3. Demonstrate how to deal with countertransference: managing your own feelings around infidelity
  4. Create a platform for the hurt partner to deal with the trauma of betrayal and deceit
  5. List what ultimately helps hurt partners regain trust
  6. Identify the dysfunctional relational stances that contributed to the infidelity and how to address them
  7. Explain the 3 reasons behind an involved partner’s lack of “no”
  8. Outline how each partner can implement the relational skills for a stronger and healthier relationship
  9. Discuss moving beyond the victim/perpetrator framework into one that builds hope

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

An Overview of the RLT Approach to Infidelity

The Hurt Partner: Infidelity as a Trauma

The Involved Partner: Understanding the Lack of “No”

Infidelity as an Opportunity for Transformation

Infidelity in the Modern Age: Biases, Assumptions, and Models of Fidelity

Registration URL

relationallife.com/infidelity/#link

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 7 NBCC credit hours ($40 fee)

CE Certificate Requirements:

Satisfactory Course Completion required:
  • Participants must have paid for this course, completed a course Evaluation, and passed the test (80% or higher grade)
  • No partial credit is available
  • Failure to complete materials results in forfeiture of CE credit for the entire course. No exceptions.
Instructions are included in your RLT Course Library for this course 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 CE credit hours. No refunds will be given on CE purchases for failure to check state approval.

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

One-Time Payment

$497

3 Payments

3 x $179

$537 in total

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program. 

Accommodations

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

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.

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, The New Rules of Marriage, and Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering workshops for couples, individuals, and parents as well as a professional training program for clinicians. Terry has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

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 support@terryreal.com www.relationallife.com 

The Relational Life

Getting to a Second Session

Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Terry Real, LICSW

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

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

2 NBCC CE hours — free upon successful completion of a short online assessment
In this photo a seal logo with two crossed rings, with the writing "approved continuing education provider nbcc seal"

ACEP No. 7495 

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. 

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 Intermediate level clinicians.

Format:

Self-Paced Online Course

Course Description

This self-paced training introduces therapists and coaches to one of the eight core diagnostic lenses used in Relational Life Therapy (RLT): The More, The More. Participants learn how to quickly identify the repeating relational pattern in a couple’s first session — and give them a compelling reason to return for a second.

Registration URL

relationallife.com/second-session/

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 2 NBCC credit hours (free with completion)

CE Certificate Requirements:

Satisfactory Course Completion required:
Participants must complete a course Evaluation and pass a short online assessment (80% or higher). The 2 NBCC CE credit hours are then available free upon completion. No partial credit is available.

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.

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program. 

Accommodations

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

Cancellation Policy

You may request a refund up to 48 hours after the first live class. (Deadline for refunds: May 21, 2026.)

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

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, The New Rules of Marriage, and Us: Getting Past You & Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. He founded the Relational Life Institute, offering a professional training program for clinicians, and has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

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 support@terryreal.com www.relationallife.com 

The Relational Life

RLT Level 1 Training

LIVE Workshop Continuing Ed Details

Facilitated by Bonny Slim, LMFT & Terry Real, LICSW

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

NBCC (National Board of Certified Counsellors)

10 NBCC CE hours for Beginner Mental Health Professionals — free certificate
In this photo a seal logo with two crossed rings, with the writing "approved continuing education provider nbcc seal"

ACEP No. 7495 

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. 

Target Audience

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

Course Content Level

The course content is appropriate for Beginner level clinicians.

Format:

Five LIVE Online Sessions on Zoom — facilitated by Bonny Slim, LMFT & Terry Real, LICSW

Course Description

Over five live classes you’ll be introduced to the powerful principles behind Relational Life Therapy (RLT) — an in-depth introduction to the theory and practice of the RLT model. Discover the differences between RLT and traditional psychodynamic therapy; the stances of “one-down shame” and “one-up grandiosity” in couples; and the concepts of Relational Mindfulness, Joining Through the Truth, and psychological patriarchy. RLT Level 1 is the first step toward RLT certification and prepares you for the Level 2 & 3 trainings.

Learning Objectives:

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

  • Compare the RLT phases and how RLT differs from traditional therapy.
  • Describe the role and approach of the therapist in RLT.
  • Diagnose the RLT view of power imbalances in couples, of psychological patriarchy, and how these are addressed through therapy.
  • Summarize Relational Mindfulness and the “fight, flight, fix” responses.
  • Identify the different types of leverage.
  • Discuss the concept of appropriate discrepancy and how it works with neuroplasticity.
  • List the seven lenses.
  • Interpret how preconditions are addressed in RLT.
  • Compare the two types of boundaries.
  • 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 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 how they use these same skills in their own relationships.

Registration URL

relationallife.com/level-1-live-july-26/

Continuing Ed Credits Available: 10 NBCC credit hours (free with completion)

CE Certificate Requirements:

Requirements for CE Certificate (free of charge):
At the end of the course you’ll receive an email inviting you to request your free CE certificate. To qualify you must attend the entire course (attendance is recorded; no partial credit) and pass an assessment quiz demonstrating your understanding of the material.

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

One-Time Payment

$395

3 Payments

3 x $137

$411 in total

Commercial Support Disclaimer

There is no conflict of interest for this program. 

Accommodations

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

Cancellation Policy

You may request a refund up to 48 hours after the first live class. (Deadline for refunds: May 21, 2026.)

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

Instructor’s Bios:

Terry Real, LICSW is the bestselling author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It, How Can I Get Through to You?, The New Rules of Marriage, and Us. He founded the Relational Life Institute and has been called “the most innovative voice in thinking about and treating men and their relationships in the world today.”

Bonny Slim, LMFT began training in RLT in 2012 and has participated in most of Terry’s courses since. She teaches several Practicum Trainings each year; her favorite aspect of RLT is that practicing relational skills in our own lives is essential to authentically sharing them with others.

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 support@terryreal.com www.relationallife.com