Lonely Leo: When Private Practice Feels Like an Island

Our ship of therapist parts for healing trauma restoring connection

💭 “Private practice feels like an island — no co-pilot, no crew.”

Many therapists resonate with Lonely Leo. The freedom of private practice can be a gift, but it can also feel like isolation. You sit with couples carrying the weight of trauma, attachment wounds, and relational ruptures — and while you hold their storm, you sometimes realise you’re holding it alone.

It’s a silent struggle. Therapists don’t often talk about the loneliness of the work. We champion connection for our clients, yet behind the closed door of the consulting room, many of us feel cut off from our peers, uncertain whether we’re “doing it right,” and longing for community.

The hidden cost of private practice

Private practice offers independence, flexibility, and the ability to work in alignment with your values. But it also removes the natural scaffolding of team life — those corridor conversations, the quick peer debriefs, the reassurance that you’re not the only one struggling with a tough couple.

Over time, isolation can grow heavy. You may notice:

  • The self-doubt that creeps in after a difficult session.
  • The fatigue of carrying complex trauma stories without support.
  • The paralysis when couples spiral and you feel unsure which model to use.
  • The ache for professional community — colleagues who understand the unique challenges of this work.

This is where Leo comes in. His story reminds us that no therapist was meant to work alone on an island.

Why trauma complicates couples’ work

When trauma walks into the couples therapy room, everything becomes more complex. Sessions may feel turbulent — sudden escalations, frozen silences, or spirals that don’t respond to ordinary dialogue techniques.

Without a trauma-informed framework, therapists can feel adrift. Do I use Imago here? Is this an EFT moment? Should I try Gottman structure, or is PACT more suitable? That scatter — the uncertainty of “which map do I use?” — is where isolation cuts deepest.

What we need is not only clarity and confidence but also connection — a professional crew that reminds us we’re not alone in navigating these storms.

Why this workshop is different

That’s why the Healing Trauma, Restoring Connection workshop exists. It’s not just about skills; it’s about anchoring therapists back into community.

🎙️ Maureen McEvoy, MA, RCC (Canada) is a trauma therapist with over 30 years’ experience — and an International Faculty Member of Imago Relationship Therapy. She has trained thousands of therapists internationally and brings a rare gift: the ability to weave multiple modalities into one coherent, trauma-informed framework.

In this workshop, Maureen integrates:

✨ Parts therapy approaches

✨ Imago Relationship Therapy

✨ EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy)

✨ Gottman Method

✨ PACT

✨ Somatic therapy practices

✨ Art therapy interventions

This is the only Australian workshop in 2025 where you can learn directly from Maureen.

What you’ll gain

Over two days in Sydney, you will:

  • Learn parts-based tools to understand what happens when trauma hijacks a couple’s dynamic.
  • Discover how to integrate different modalities without getting stuck in “which model do I use?” paralysis.
  • Add somatic and creative interventions to help couples regulate in the moment.
  • Build the confidence to step into turbulent sessions with clarity.
  • Most importantly, reconnect with a community of peers who share your challenges, your questions, and your passion for couples therapy.

A personal reflection

Think of the last time you left a session feeling uncertain — wondering whether you had missed something, doubting whether you had helped enough.

Now imagine stepping out of that same session knowing:

  • You have a framework to hold the trauma safely.
  • You can name and work with the parts of each partner that are triggered.
  • You have colleagues to debrief with, to normalise the struggle, and to celebrate the breakthroughs.

That shift — from isolation to connection — is the difference this training can make.

Event details – Healing Trauma Restoring Connection

📅 8–9 Nov 2025 | Sydney

🎙️ Maureen McEvoy, MA, RCC (Canada) — International Imago Faculty

🟡 Sponsored by ARTI | 🎓 12 CPD Hours

⚡ September Saver: $995 until 30 Sept – save $105

Final thought

If you’ve ever felt like Lonely Leo — flying solo without a co-pilot or crew — this workshop was designed for you.

We can’t always eliminate the turbulence, but we can learn how to navigate it together.

Hurry spaces are filling fast – join us today !

Trauma-Informed Couples Therapy: Essential Skills for Therapists

3 needs every relationship therapist needs for trauma informed training workshop in Sydney with international presenter rare appearance

Concrete tools and community for the moments when dialogue is not enough

The couple sits across from you. Her eyes fall to the floor, as do her tears. His arms fold tight across his chest, his face grim – frozen. The Imago dialogue tool you had planned now feels impossible.

This is the moment when trauma has entered the room.

Most relationship therapists know this dynamic well. You have the skills, the training, the frameworks. But sometimes the silence, the shutdown, or the sudden outburst is not about the argument at hand. They are trauma speaking.


What Therapists Really Want from Training

Relational therapists across modalities like Imago, EFT, PACT, Gottman Relationship therapy share a similar vision for trauma-informed training. Three needs appear again and again.

1. Confidence in the Therapy Room

Therapists want to know exactly what to do when trauma shows up between partners. They want more than theory. They want clear steps that integrate with their existing models.

At the workshop: You will explore what we call the 3 R’s of Trauma Informed Couples Work™ – Recognise trauma’s presence, support partners to Regulate, and Restore connection. These principles are woven through Maureen McEvoy’s integrative approach, and you will leave with practical scripts, somatic practices, and concrete interventions you can use immediately.

2. Connection with Peers

Couples’ work can feel lonely. Therapists long for a community that “gets it.” Shared wisdom. Validation that their struggles are not unique.

At the workshop, You will join colleagues from Imago, EFT, Gottman, PACT, creative arts and other modalities. It is more than a training. It is a gathering of therapists who share your vision. You will come as colleagues and leave as friends.

3. Skills that Align with Values

Therapists want approaches that honour their clients’ humanity. They want non-pathologising, strengths-based methods that are deeply respectful of client experience.

It is in the doing. You will experience these innovations by applying what you are learning as we go through the program. No long lectures, Maureen’s practical exercises will land as you embody them ready for your next couples session.

At the workshop: With more than 30 years of trauma and couples therapy experience, Maureen shows and teaches how to weave somatic, arts-based, and polyvagal methods into existing frameworks in ways that fit your values and deepen your practice.


Why this Matters Now

Trauma is not a side issue. It is often the reason couples disconnect. Dialogue tools alone are not enough. To stay at the forefront of the field, trauma-informed training is essential. Clients are already asking for it. Tomorrow’s therapists will be defined by it.


About Your Presenter

Maureen McEvoy, MA, RCC (Canada) has worked in the field of trauma for over 30 years. She is a long-standing instructor with the Justice Institute of British Columbia and provides clinical consultation to therapists and agencies. Maureen is a senior Imago Therapy faculty member. She draws from her learnings in hypnosis, Parts work, Ego State Therapy, Gottman, somatic therapy, Pat Ogden’s sensorimotor therapy, arts therapy, Stan Tatkins’ PACT, EFT, and Polyvagal theory. Colleagues say: “Maureen has a gift for making the complex feel simple and the difficult feel possible.”


The Workshop

Healing Trauma, Restoring Connection
📅 8–9 November 2025, Sydney
👩‍🏫 Presenter: Maureen McEvoy, MSW, RSW (Canada)
🟡 Sponsored by Australian Resource Therapy Institute (ARTI)
🔗 Secure your place

💡 Eligible for 12 CPD Hours PACFA, ACA, ASCH, AASW, AAPI, AIRTA, APS Members


We Can’t Wait to Meet You!

Do not wait until you are back in the therapy room wishing you had more trauma tools. Places are limited, and the Early Bird rate ends soon. Join us in Sydney for a community of peers, the confidence to meet trauma in the room, and the skills to restore connection.

👉 Secure your place today, tickets selling fast


Online Training That Works: A Psychologist’s Experience With Resource Therapy

Psychologist Leigh shares her online clinical training in Resource Therapy experience

As more therapists turn to Telehealth and online professional development, a common question arises:

Can experiential, trauma-informed training really work online – especially when it involves parts work and deep emotional processing?

Leigh, a psychologist with a special interest in trauma and dissociation, had the same question before enrolling in the Resource Therapy training program offered online by the Australian Resource Therapy Institute (ARTI). Leigh holds senior qualifications as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Couples therapist, and Psychosomatic Therapist.

After completing the full training, she is now officially a Clinical Resource Therapist. She shares her answer with warmth, clarity, and conviction

What Surprised Her Most

Leigh admits she was initially unsure if such an experiential modality could truly be taught online.

I didn’t know if I’d feel connected, or if I’d get the practical experience I needed. But I was pleasantly surprised – it felt real, engaging, and very connected. The demos were brilliant, and the small group practice made it easy to try things out safely.

The structured format, real-time demonstrations, and rich interaction offered by the live Zoom sessions helped her feel immersed in the material, just as she would in an in-person setting.

Confidence With Complex Cases

As a trauma-informed psychologist, Leigh was drawn to Resource Therapy’s clear protocols and strong ethical foundation. What she gained was a renewed sense of confidence in working with complex clients.

“I use parts language in my work already, but RT gave me practical tools I can use right away. It’s strengths-based, respectful, and incredibly powerful – especially with clients who feel stuck, overwhelmed or fragmented.”

With the ability to work safely with Vaded States, negotiate Retro patterns, and access Conflicted States with precision, she now has a more structured approach to help clients move forward.

Why She Recommends It

For clinicians unsure about online training, Leigh’s message is simple:

“Give it a go. I wasn’t sure either, but I’m so glad I did. You’ll feel supported, you’ll practise a lot, and you’ll walk away with tools you can use immediately – online or in the room.”

What Is Resource Therapy?

Resource Therapy is a trauma-informed, strengths-based psychotherapy developed by Professor Gordon Emmerson. It helps clinicians access and work directly with the personality parts (called Resource States) that carry unresolved emotions or unhelpful patterns. The training includes 15 treatment actions, clear protocols, and targeted interventions for a wide range of presentations – from PTSD and anxiety to depression, addiction, and relationship distress.

The training is suitable for psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, social workers, EMDR clinicians, and anyone working with trauma or parts.


🎥 Watch Leigh’s Testimonial


Want To Learn Resource Therapy Online?

We offer live, interactive online training throughout the year. Whether you’re new to parts work or looking to deepen your trauma toolkit, Resource Therapy provides a powerful and respectful way to help clients heal.

  • ✅ Live Zoom sessions with experiential practice
  • ✅ Learn to map, access, and resolve Resource States
  • ✅ Suitable for online and in-person clinical work
  • ✅ Endorsed by psychologists, EMDR and DBR therapists across Australia

👉 View upcoming training dates and program info

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