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Interpersonal and Attachment-Based Principles of Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy for Severe and Chronic Problems of Comorbid Disorders
This presentation was originally reviewed on September 23, 2025, and live streamed online on September 6, 2025, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET.
Maladaptive relationship patterns that are learned in early attachment relationships can be replicated with others in adulthood in predictable patterns referred to as “copy process” in Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy (IRT, Benjamin, 2003/2006; 2018). The underlying attachment-based motivations to repeat old patterns can provide barriers to response to standard treatments while also holding the keys to change with even difficult or “stuck” cases.
This presentation will provide an overview of IRT principles, including review of empirical evidence supporting their use. Case illustrations will emphasize use of an interpersonal case formulation to tailor treatment for severe and chronic problems involving diagnostic comorbidity and personality pathology. Ultimately, IRT seeks to help patients become aware of copied interpersonal and intrapsychic patterns, and the role they play in maintaining connection with internalized attachment figures. From there, the goal is to help a patient differentiate from the “family in the head” and pursue healthy behaviors and self-concepts.
Target Audience
This activity is intended for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and other mental health professionals.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, attendees will be able to:
- Define relationship behavior with the self and others using the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior interpersonal model.
- Identify how patterns learned with attachment figures can shape and motivate problem behaviors in the present
- Describe how to enhance therapeutic responsiveness by addressing “family in the head”, especially with stuck or nonresponsive patients
- Appraise behavior using the three underlying dimensions of the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior model
- Judge presence of copy process repetitions in clinical material
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Price: Free. All courses offered through Sheppard Pratt are free of charge. There is no need to cancel if you cannot attend or complete a course, as no refund is necessary. Not completing an activity acts as a cancellation.
For more information on how to participate in this course, please read to the bottom of the page to review all of the directions.
For directions on how to participate in the program, refer to the FAQ page.
This is a recorded asynchronous distance learning format course where you will download the handout, watch a video recording, and complete the required posttest, evaluation, and attestation for credit. A 75% is required for the posttest. You may retake it as many times as necessary to achieve that score. Once you have completed all the components of the Course Progress bar, the certificate will be immediately downloadable. The certificate will also be saved in your account transcript.
Outline of Activity:
Introduction- 5 minutes
Presentation- 45 minutes
Q&A- 10 minutes
Price: Free. All courses offered through Sheppard Pratt are free of charge. There is no need to cancel if you cannot attend or complete a course, as no refund is necessary. Not completing an activity acts as a cancellation.
The course expires and cannot be completed after December 21, 2027.
To request accessibility accommodations please contact [email protected].
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TO EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE
On the OVERVIEW or REGISTER/TAKE COURSE tab, select the GREEN RECTANGLE, TAKE COURSE to begin.
Complete the Pretest and select NEXT in the bottom right corner of the screen. Use the NEXT button for best results.
The PowerPoint handout will be available for download.
After downloading the handout, select NEXT to begin and watch the video.
You may need to select play for the video to begin.
After the video follow the prompts to complete the posttest, evaluation, and attestation of credit.
Once you have completed all the components of the Course Progress bar, the certificate will be immediately downloadable.
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There is no commercial support for this activity.
About the speaker
Ken Critchfield, Ph.D. is a tenured Associate Professor and Program Director of the Clinical Psychology Program of the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University. He is the author, with Lorna Smith Benjamin, of the 2024 APA publication, Structural Analysis of Social Behavior: A Primer for Clinical Use. Dr. Critchfield’s research, teaching, and clinical work emphasizes interpersonal and attachment-based principles of change implemented in Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy (IRT: Benjamin, 2003; 2018). Dr. Critchfield is a Fellow of APA’s Society for Advancement of Psychotherapy (Div. 29), has held leadership roles with the Society for Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI), and has long been a member of the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR). He maintains an independent psychotherapy practice serving clients in VA and NY.
Disclosure Statements
Sheppard Pratt holds the standard that its continuing medical education programs should be free of commercial bias and conflict of interest. In accord with Sheppard Pratt's Disclosure Policy, as well as standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Medical Association (AMA), all planners, reviewers, speakers and persons in control of content have been asked to disclose any relationship he /she has with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. All planners, reviewers and speakers have also been asked to disclose any payments accepted for this lecture from any entity besides Sheppard Pratt, and if there will be discussion of any products, services or off-label uses of product(s) during this presentation.
Kenneth L. Critchfield, PhD, reports that he is the owner of Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy Institute and receives royalties from the American Psychological Association during the past 24 months. He will be discussing the use of the Intrex Questionnaire in this presentation. All relationships have been mitigated through review.
Event Planners/Reviewers Disclosures: The following event planners and/or reviewers are reported as having no financial interest, arrangement or affiliation with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months: Todd Peters, MD, Michael C. Hann, MD, MBA, Ronald Means, MD, Rajeev Krishna, MD, PhD, MBA, Louis Marino, MD, Devi Bhuyan, PsyD, Manan Shah, MD, Vittoria DeLucia, MD, Chad J. Lennon, MD, Faith Dickerson, PhD, MPH, Carrie Etheridge, LCSW-C, April Sobiech, LCSW-C, Latia Suite, LCSW-C, Tom Flis, MS, BCBA, LBA, LCPC, Lisa Illum, MLIS, MEd, and Jennifer Tornabene.
Psychologist Statements: Sheppard Pratt is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Sheppard Pratt maintains the responsibility for this program and its contents. Sheppard Pratt designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hours for Psychologists.
Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists as a sponsor of continuing education. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. Sheppard Pratt designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hours for Psychologists.
Social Worker Statements: Sheppard Pratt, 2104, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 4/22/2025- 4/22/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 Clinical continuing education credits.
Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners of Maryland to offer continuing education for Social Workers. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hours in Category II credits for Social Workers.
Counselor Statement: Sheppard Pratt has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5098. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Sheppard Pratt is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This activity is available for 1.0 NBCC clock hours.
Available Credit
- 1.00 ACEP NBCC clock hours
- 1.00 American Psychological AssociationSheppard Pratt is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Sheppard Pratt maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- 1.00 Category II credits for Social Workers
- 1.00 Psychologists
- 1.00 Participation
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Click the Take Course button to proceed into the course to complete the requirements for credit.
Required Hardware/software
Optimal System Configuration
Flash Player: Adobe Flash Player 10.1+
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Minimum Requirements
Windows PC: 500-MHz Pentium II; Windows XP or higher; 128 MB RAM; Video Card at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card at least 16-bit; Macromedia Flash Player 10 or higher, audio playback with speakers for programs with video content; Firefox 1.1+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Safari 1.0+, Google Chrome, or Opera
Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.3 or higher with latest updates installed; 1.83MHz Intel Core Duo or faster; RAM: 128MB or more; Video Card: at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card: at least 16-bit
Hardware/Software Specifications
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using Internet Explorer 8+, Mozilla Firefox 3+, Safari 4+. This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.