The primary goal of couples therapy often is to help partners learn to take better care of each other. But if each partner feels wounded, insecure, and defensive--as is usually the case--neither will be ready to put his or her needs aside to focus on what the other needs. In this workshop, we'll explore the Internal Family Systems approach to couples work, which helps both partners heal themselves first--drop their masks, understand and care for their own hurt inner parts, and resolve their own issues--so that they can relate to each other in a more open, authentic, undemanding way. You'll learn how to help partners stop blaming each other for their own pain and look into themselves, and speak for the parts that trigger them, rather than from their emotional neediness. (This session will continue with Workshop 312.)