When Desire Goes Wandering: The Psychodynamics of Infidelity
When Desire Goes Wandering: The Psychodynamics of Infidelity
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Event Description:
Infidelity is one of the most painful, disruptive, and destabilizing experiences a marriage can face. Many people often quietly wonder, “How common is cheating?” Is it rare or is it something most couples encounter at some point? Studies estimate that roughly 20-25% of married couples experience infidelity at some point throughout their relationship, though exact numbers may vary based on how infidelity is defined and who is being surveyed.
Rates tend to increase over time, which means that longer marriages have a higher likelihood of encountering infidelity than newer ones. Extramarital affairs are a common issue in couple therapy. In a state of crisis, couples often seek individual and/or couple therapy after an affair has been discovered, or not long after a couple starts therapy to address their more general struggles, the unfaithful partner steps forward to reveal they have been involved in an affair, or series of affairs.
Surprisingly, the topic of infidelity has been written about much less than one might expect, especially within the psychoanalytic literature as it relates to couples and couple therapy. For this reason, we have gathered and organized a select number of articles and chapters to read and discuss on the topic of infidelity, which are not easy to locate within this sparse literature. This seminar is designed to help well rounded couples, family, and individual therapists develop greater knowledge of the issues and challenges in treating infidelity, with a particular emphasis on understanding some of the unconscious motivations underlying it.
To aid in facilitating discussion in the seminar, attendees will be asked to read several articles per class and be prepared to ask questions and collaborate with each other. We will also present clinical material to help enliven the reading material to further deepen the discussion, as well as encourage participants who are willing to share their own material. Although treating infidelity is nearly as broad as couple therapy in and of itself, we will offer toward the end of the seminar a few paired down examples/models for treating infidelity.
Presenters' Information:
Scott Boles, Ph.D.
Dr. Boles is a Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst in private practice who works with children, adolescents, adults, and couples, as well as provides individual and group supervision to mental health professionals. He serves on SDPC’s Education Committee and is a distinguished member of the faculty.
Silvia Rodriguez, Ph.D., LMFT
Dr. Rodriguez is a Licensed Psychotherapist and Analyst who treats children, adolescents and adults. Dr. Rodriguez is also an experienced licensed therapist and marriage and family counselor with a private practice in San Diego. She is a graduate from SDPC’s psychoanalytic training program and now a member of the faculty.
Learning Objectives
- Describe what a “couples state of mind” is and why this concept is so central and essential when treating couples, especially when it comes to addressing infidelity in a relationship.
- Define infidelity and three or more of its key features.
- Identify and describe three different psychodynamic formulations of infidelity that help explain the unconscious motivations underlying them.
- Describe two different approaches to the treatment of infidelity, and the therapeutic action of each.
Target Audience: This program meets the needs of all mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. All levels.
Seminar Format: This is an in-person only program and preregistration is required.
$400 Seminar Registration - General
$300 Seminar Registration - SDPC Members
Want to reduce your program fees? Become an SDPC Member today! Read more here. For questions, contact: membership@sdpsychoanalytic.org
Refund/Cancellation Policy:
Please note that SDPC only provides a credit, no cash refunds, on purchased tickets; event credit can be applied towards future events. See our website for our cancellation policy.
Session Dates:
Second Wednesday of the month
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
2026: Oct. 7, Nov. 11, Dec. 9
2027: Jan. 13, Feb. 10
CME/CE Credits: 7.5
*To receive continuing education credit for this activity, participants must attend the entire program and complete the program evaluation. Credit cannot be awarded for partial attendance. Please speak to the instructor(s) regarding missed sessions.
Registration/Attendance Process: By registering for this event, all participants agree to abide by the San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (SDPC) in-person meeting policies, including confidentiality, ethical conduct, and respectful participation. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in removal from the event and may be subject to disciplinary and/or legal action.
- Register by clicking the registration button. You will receive a confirmation by email with details about the event.
- We will have a list of registrants and will check you off. You may also pay at the door. Preregistration is preferred.
- Verify attendance by signing in on the attendance sheet at in-person events.
- Partial attendance at a CME/CE activity will not be awarded CME/CE credit.
- Registration is limited to 12 participants
Accommodations & Grievances
- If you need special accommodations to attend this event, please contact the Event Coordinator at events@sdpsychoanalytic.org.
- For any grievances or issues, please contact the Continuing Education Manager at cme@sdpsychoanalytic.org.
Certificates
- Continuing Education certificates of attendance will be awarded electronically upon completion of an evaluation form.
- All attendees are responsible for keeping their certificate of attendance for personal records.
Continuing Professional Education Accreditation
The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (SDPC), is proud to offer CME credit to Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists and Social Workers. These CME credits will usually satisfy requirements for Social Worker and Psychologist CEs. However, clinicians should consult their state licensing boards for final approval. Please see the CME/CE credits page for more information.
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CMA Accreditation Statement: The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center is accredited by the California Medical Association (CMA, provider #4001214) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. |
AMA Credit Designation Statement: The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center designates this Continuing Education activity for a maximum of 7.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™️. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
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CAMFT Accreditation Statement: The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (Provider #050121) is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs for this activity. The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center maintains responsibility for this course/program and its content. |
BBS Statement: Course meets the qualifications for 7.5 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Partial credit will not be awarded.
Psychologists: The California Board of Psychology accepts CE credits from the CMA. Psychologists are responsible for reporting their individual attendance to the Board of Psychology. Psychologists attending SDPC events approved for CE credits may report AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ toward their CE requirements. Psychologists self-certify the number of hours they have completed on their renewal form.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEARNERS: None of the planners and presenters of this CME program has any relevant financial relationships to disclose.
The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center (SDPC) CME/CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that this activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the activity meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME's identification, mitigation, and disclosure of relevant financial relationships. This activity does not have any known commercial support.
*Financial relationships are relevant if the educational content that an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.
Statement of Commitment: The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center does not discriminate in employment and in its educational programs and activities, including admission or access thereto, on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
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The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center is affiliated with the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA), the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA), and the Organization of Southern California Psychoanalytic Institutes and Societies.
The San Diego Psychoanalytic Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.