Working with Acrimonious Couples

What's In It For Me

The course will equip professionals to understand and address conflicts in couples by teaching mediation and negotiation skills, aiming to enhance family well-being and foster resilience.


Upcoming schedules:

  • 15, 16, 17 Sep 2025 *Private run, class is full*
  • 17, 18, 20 Nov 2025 *Private run, registration ends 20 Oct 2025*


Feel free to call 6593 5283 for registration support.

Course Overview

Family is the fundamental unit of society, with the couple's relationship playing a pivotal role in establishing stability and predictability. As the family evolves over time through various developmental stages, both individually and collectively, stressors and opportunities for growth arise. Families that manage these stressors effectively build resilience, function well, and ensure the well-being of all members. Conversely, some families face challenges in handling these stressors, leading to conflicts that affect the entire family due to their interdependent nature.


During challenging periods within the marriage, as well as pre-divorce and post-divorce phases, disagreements between couples often become more intense. The difficulties result in acrimonious relationships and hinder effective conflict resolution. Key factors contributing to unresolved disagreements include a lack of trust, poor communication, low cooperation, and unsuccessful decision-making. Frequent, intense, and poorly resolved couple/parental conflicts pose a significant risk to children's well-being over time.


Professionals play a crucial role in helping couples resolve conflicts through a solution-focused approach, promoting amicable and sustainable resolutions. This process supports parents and co-parents in reconstructing healthy family relationships, ensuring the well-being of both themselves and their children. However, this task can be extremely demanding for professionals.


This training emphasizes understanding the dynamics of conflicts in couples, exploring possibilities for addressing these conflicts, and highlighting the importance and application of mediation and negotiation skills. This approach aims to promote family well-being by equipping professionals with the tools needed to support families in resolving conflicts and fostering resilience.


Who Should Attend

Counsellors, Social Workers, Case Workers and other professionals who are working with couples and families.



Course Duration

Duration: 21 hours (3-day)

Timing: 9.30am – 5.30pm


Course Outline
  1. A holistic perspective on marital conflicts.
  2. Recognizing and comprehending the hopes of couples in conflict.
  3. Assessment and Screening of couples for conflict resolution.
  4. The Conflict Resolution Framework: Integrating Collaboration, Mediation and Negotiation Skills.
  5. Development of Parenting Plan.
  6. Conflict Resolution related to Divorcing parents’ continuing relationship with the children, transition between homes, supporting children’s needs and different parenting styles.
  7. Identifying the strengths and resources available to the couple for conflict resolution.
  8. Navigating the challenges encountered in conflict resolution.
  9. The importance of support and self-care for the professionals.

Certification Obtained and Conferred by

Participants who meet 75% class attendance will be awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment by the Academy of Human Development.


Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

  • Learn to recognize the varying levels of conflict in couples and the appropriate interventions for each.
  • Develop an increased awareness of the assessment, screening and preparation necessary for effectively facilitating conflict resolution in couples.
  • Use a structured framework to mediate and assist couples in resolving their conflicts.
  • Gain an increased awareness of the challenges encountered while mediating with couples to resolve their conflicts and strategies to manage these challenges effectively.
  • Become more aware of the strengths and resources available to support conflict resolution in couples.

Medium of Instruction & Trainer

Saradha Ramachandran is the Principal Counsellor of RE~Counselling. She has a Masters in Applied Psychology and Psychological Services. She is trained in Satir’s Transformational Systemic Therapy, Neuroscience and Satir in Sand Tray, Grief and Loss, Divorce Interventions, Working with Individuals, Parents and Children etc. She has been a Counsellor, Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Trainer, Tutor and a Resource Person in Singapore for more than 25 years. She has extensive experience in supporting individuals, parents, and children in managing their challenges due to loss, bereavement, divorce, intrapersonal issues, interpersonal relationships and parenting issues. She has been supporting the individuals and families through counselling, therapy, support groups, talks and workshops. Saradha has been providing Clinical Supervision – Individual and Group – for the Counsellors, other helping professionals and the students who are pursuing studies in Counselling in the community.


Saradha has collaborated with Ministry of Social and Family Development, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Social Service Training Institute, Executive Counselling & Training Academy, Singapore Community Bereavement Project – Project Rebuild, Singapore Management University in enhancing the skills of the Students, Professionals and Volunteers.


She has developed standards for multiple programs and implemented evaluation procedures to ensure compliance with the required criteria. She has the experience of designing systems to evaluate regularly these programs and make necessary revisions based on the reviews, ensuring continuous improvement.


She was a member of the Sub-Team on Counselling of the Social Service Skills Future Tripartite Taskforce (STT) and Alliance for Action (AfA): Strengthen Marriages and Family Relationships, focusing on Single-Parent Families.She is a Master Clinical Member, Registered Counsellor, Registered Clinical Supervisor of Singapore Association for Counselling. She is Registered Social Service Practitioner by Social Work Accreditation Board and an Associate Member of the Singapore Association of Social Workers.


Funding Information

NCSS members and MSF-funded Social Service Agencies will be able to apply for up to 30% PCG Funding.


Additional Notes

Please note that online learning materials will be sent to learners before the course starts. We will not be providing hardcopy course materials.




Price
Course Fee Payable
Original Fee Before GST With GST (9%)
Course Fee $750.00 $817.50
Corporate Pricing (Fee payable to Training Provider)
Non-SME Before GST With GST (9%)
NCSS PCG 30% funding (SC/PRs) $525.00 $572.25
SME Before GST With GST (9%)
NCSS PCG 30% funding (SC/PRs) $525.00 $572.25

NCSS member and MSF-funded Social Service Agencies are able to apply for PCG Funding, pre-approved at 30% funding per pax for Singaporean/PR. (subjected to screening and approval after registration).

Please note that prices are subjected to change.
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