9689L • When One Partner Isn't Sure: Assessing and Navigating Mixed-Agenda Couples

Table of Contents

9689L • When One Partner Isn't Sure: Assessing and Navigating Mixed-Agenda Couples

How to Receive Credit

Course Overview

Audience

Accreditations & Approvals

Designations of Credit

Individual State Behavioral Health Approvals

Course Objective

Learning Objectives

Faculty

Faculty Disclosure

Division Planners

Division Planners Disclosure

Director of Development and Academic Affairs

Director Disclosure Statement

About the Sponsor

Disclosure Statement

Implicit Bias in Health Care

1. INTRODUCTION

2. WEBINAR

3. WORKBOOK

Works Cited

9689L • When One Partner Isn't Sure: Assessing and Navigating Mixed-Agenda Couples

Michal Goldman, LCSW

www.netce.com

Copyright © 2025 NetCE, All rights reserved.

This live event takes place Tuesday, November 18, 6 pm-7 pm EST (3 pm-4 pm PST).

This course introduces therapists to the clinical, ethical, and emotional complexities of working with mixed-agenda couples—where one partner is leaning out of the relationship and the other wants to preserve it. These couples often present for therapy without shared goals, making traditional couples work potentially ineffective or even harmful. The course explores strategies for early assessment, introduces a structured approach to support decision-making, and highlights how to avoid common pitfalls. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to ethically and effectively guide couples in the early stages of treatment.

9689L • When One Partner Isn't Sure: Assessing and Navigating Mixed-Agenda Couples

Education Category. Webinars

Release Date. 10/15/2025

Expiration Date. 11/30/2025

How to Receive Credit

To complete this course for continuing education credit please go to http://www.netce.com/course/3234 in your browser.

For assistance with receiving continuing education credit, please contact us at help@netce.com.

Course Overview

This live event takes place Tuesday, November 18, 6 pm-7 pm EST (3 pm-4 pm PST).

This course introduces therapists to the clinical, ethical, and emotional complexities of working with mixed-agenda couples—where one partner is leaning out of the relationship and the other wants to preserve it. These couples often present for therapy without shared goals, making traditional couples work potentially ineffective or even harmful. The course explores strategies for early assessment, introduces a structured approach to support decision-making, and highlights how to avoid common pitfalls. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to ethically and effectively guide couples in the early stages of treatment.

Audience

This live webinar is intended for counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, social workers, and other behavioral health professionals engaged in relational or couples therapy.

Accreditations & Approvals

NetCE has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6361. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. NetCE is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. As a Jointly Accredited Organization, NetCE is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. NetCE is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). NetCE complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, NetCE is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. NetCE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0021. This course is considered live online by the New York State Board of Mental Health Counseling. NetCE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0033. This course is considered live online, as defined by the New York State Board for Social Work. NetCE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists. #MFT-0015. This course is considered live online by the New York State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy. NetCE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0240. This course is considered live online by the New York State Board for Psychology.

Designations of Credit

NetCE designates this live event continuing education activity for 1 NBCC clock hour(s). NetCE designates this live event activity for 1 continuing education clock hours. Social workers participating in this intermediate to advanced course will receive 1 Clinical continuing education clock hours. NetCE is authorized by IACET to offer 0.1 CEU(s) for this program. NetCE designates this live continuing education activity for 1 credit(s).

Individual State Behavioral Health Approvals

In addition to states that accept ASWB, NetCE is approved as a provider of continuing education by the following state boards: Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners, Provider #0515; Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, CE Broker Provider #50-2405; Illinois Division of Professional Regulation for Social Workers, License #159.001094; Illinois Division of Professional Regulation for Licensed Professional and Clinical Counselors, License #197.000185; Illinois Division of Professional Regulation for Marriage and Family Therapists, License #168.000190;

Course Objective

The purpose of this course is to provide behavioral health professionals with the knowledge and practical tools to recognize mixed-agenda dynamics early, assess for ethical and clinical fit, and make informed decisions about next steps.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. Identify clinical signs that a couple may be experiencing mixed-agenda dynamics.

2. Describe at least three ethical concerns related to beginning therapy with unclear relational commitment.

3. Outline steps for assessing each partner's level of motivation and engagement.

4. Compare potential pathways forward, including individual work, couples therapy, and decision-making interventions.

Faculty

Michal Goldman, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in relational therapy and therapist development. She is passionate about helping clinicians cultivate secure, ethical boundaries and deepen their self-of-therapist awareness to enhance their work with couples. Michal holds extensive training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and discernment counseling, with a focus on supporting couples through relational challenges. In addition to her clinical work, she writes a biweekly mental health column for a local newspaper, where she shares insights on relational health and ethical practice. Her teaching emphasizes compassionate care, cultural humility, and clinically sound decision-making in complex therapeutic settings.

Faculty Disclosure

Contributing faculty, Michal Goldman, LCSW, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.

Division Planners

Kimberly Byrd, EdD, PMSW

Scott Deatherage, PhD

Division Planners Disclosure

The division planners have disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.

Director of Development and Academic Affairs

Sarah Campbell

Director Disclosure Statement

The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.

About the Sponsor

The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.

Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.

Disclosure Statement

It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.

Implicit Bias in Health Care

The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.

Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.

1. INTRODUCTION

Couples therapy often assumes both partners are equally motivated to repair and maintain the relationship. However, many therapists encounter "mixed-agenda" couples—where one partner is leaning out of the relationship while the other is motivated to preserve it. Without appropriate assessment and intervention strategies, therapists may inadvertently proceed with emotionally vulnerable work that can cause harm, rupture trust, or lead to premature dropout. This course will discuss how to identify and treat these couples.

2. WEBINAR

To see this media go to http://www.NetCE.com/activities/ using a browser that supports Adobe Flash.

3. WORKBOOK

The workbook discussed in this webinar is available here.

Works Cited

1. Doherty WJ, Harris SM, Wilde JL. Discernment counseling for couples considering divorce: helping people navigate the ambivalence in high-stakes relationships. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 2016;42(3):467-475.

2. Doherty Relationship Institute. Discernment Counseling: How to Best Help the Mixed-Agenda Couple. Available at https://discernmentcounseling.com. Last accessed October 23, 2025.

3. Doss BD, Roddy MK, Wiebe SA, Johnson SM. A review of the research during 2010–2019 on evidence-based treatments for couple relationship distress. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 2022;48(2):283-306.

4. Gurman AS, Fraenkel P. The history of couple therapy: a millennial review. Family Process. 2002;41(2):199-260.

5. Lebow J, Chambers AL, Christensen A, Johnson SM. Research on the treatment of couple distress. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 2012;38(1):145-168.

6. Lebow J, Snyder DK. Couple therapy in the 2020s: current status and emerging developments. Family Process. 2022;61(4):1359-1385.

7. Zoppolat G, Faure R, Alonso-Ferres M, Righetti F. Mixed and conflicted: the role of ambivalence in romantic relationships in light of attractive alternatives. Emotion. 2022;(22):81-89.