Wed, 8th July 2026
05:00 PM to 06:00 PM
Wed, 8th July, 2026
05:00 PM to 06:00 PM
Online
When There Are More Than Two People in the Marriage: Navigating In-Law Dynamics in Couples Therapy
“My mother-in-law decides everything in our home.” “He never stands up for me in front of his parents.” “I feel torn between my wife and my family.” “We fight about his parents more than we fight about each other.”
If you work with couples in India, you hear some version of these sentences almost every single week.
Because in our context, marriages never exist in isolation.
You aren’t just dealing with the two people sitting on your couch. You are dealing with joint family systems, deep-seated filial obligations, financial interdependence, decades of cultural conditioning, and the endless pressure to “adjust.”
Most Western couples therapy frameworks are built for nuclear, highly individualistic setups. They assume a clear-cut boundary between the couple and the rest of the world.
But when you try to apply those exact templates to an Indian couple fighting over Sunday dinners, WhatsApp groups, or living arrangements, it falls flat. It leaves therapists feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and worried about accidentally taking sides or alienating a partner.
This practical webinar is designed to bridge that gap. We will unpack how in-law relationships actively shape couple distress, how to conceptualize these messy dynamics through a systemic and culturally responsive lens, and exactly how to intervene without getting caught in the crossfire.
We aren’t just going to talk about the theory. We’re going to look at what actually works in the room.
Beyond the Surface: Why in-law issues are almost never just about the in-laws (and how to spot the real systemic wound).
The Indian Lens: Why Western frameworks fall short and how to build a culturally grounded systemic conceptualization.
The Tripwires: Common mistakes well-meaning therapists make that accidentally alienate one partner or reinforce unhelpful narratives.
The Toolkit: Concrete, practical interventions you can copy-paste into your next session to navigate enmeshment and boundary-setting safely.
This workshop is specifically built for mental health practitioners who want to stop feeling stuck when extended family drama enters the therapy room:
Psychologists & Counselors
Marriage and Family Therapists
Early-career practitioners looking for practical frameworks
Experienced therapists wanting a more culturally nuanced, systemic approach
Not at all. In fact, this is exactly what we wish we had known when starting out. The webinar breaks down complex systemic dynamics into clear, actionable concepts. If you are seeing couples—or plan to see them soon—this will give you a massive confidence boost.
If you’ve been practicing for a while, you already know how stubborn these dynamics are. This workshop moves past basic advice like “just set boundaries” (which rarely works in Indian families) and dives into advanced systemic conceptualization. It will give you a fresh, culturally responsive vocabulary to unstick your toughest cases.
Absolutely not. You already know the theory. This webinar is explicitly focused on the clinical “how-to.” While we will establish a solid systemic framework, the bulk of the time will be spent on common case presentations, specific pitfalls to avoid, and exact conversational scripts/interventions you can bring into your room next week.
Yes! We offer a 1 year fellowship couple therapy training for therapists who are serious about doing good work with couples in India. We will talk about the fellowship at the end of the workshop for those interested.
Please note that a recording of this workshop will not be provided, so make sure to join us live.
Refund Policy: There will be no issuing of refunds after purchase due to the digital nature of the product.