Assessing Couple Dynamics in Online Couple Treatment:

The Use of the Image on the Screen

Jill Savege Scharff, MD

Sunday, November 8, 2026

10:00am-12:00pm EST

Live Interactive via Zoom

Zoom Invite Will be Sent to Registrants on November 7, 2026

2 CEs offered for Counselors, Psychologists and Social Workers

CEs accepted by many states - check with your local boards.

Jill Savege Scharff, MD

Jill Savege Scharff, MD, FABP, MRCPsych is a co-founder of the International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI) and the founder of the Child Therapy, psychoanalytic and couple\family therapy training programs at IPI. She is also a Clinical Professor within the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine and a founder and past chair of the two year course in Child Psychotherapy at Jiandanxinli. Currently she practices as a couples and family therapist and supervising psychoanalyst for adults, adolescents and children. Dr. Scharff is the co-author and editor of numerous books and studies and the 2021 recipient of the Sigourney Award.

Workshop Description

With the monumental increase in virtual therapy over the last several years, many couples therapists are responding to the need for virtual couples therapy. However many couples therapists may not be aware how virtual couples therapy differs from in person couples therapy. Jill Savege Scharff will present a clinical workshop on the use of screens in online psychoanalytic assessment and psychotherapy with couples. What can we learn about couple dynamics from our observation and our response to the image on the screen? Dr. Scharff will present images of three couples from various cultures in scenes from short-term psychoanalytic couple therapy. These brief images without words are shared for the audience to react to. Then she explores her own countertransference to the images that she describes, provides a narrative to accompany the images, and discusses what is conveyed about the couples. The vignettes show the effects of immigration of one member of a couple occurring across two generations, the impact of the absence of affective connection, and the spatial expression of power differentials.

Learning Objectives

• Describe two aspects of technology onto which a couple may project aspects of their unconscious dynamics or family histories.
• Give one example from teletherapy of a couple whose visual image on screen conveyed the closeness or distance in their relationship.

Target Audience:  Suitable for Psychologists, Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, Psychiatrists, Advanced Practice Nurses, Graduate Students, Marriage and Family Therapists.



Level of Sophistication: This is an introductory level post-graduate continuing education program suitable for all levels of training.

ADA accommodations available upon request (Required at least 14 days prior to course start date).

2 Continuing Education Credits

Counselors: CPPNJ has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6863. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CPPNJ is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Psychologists: CPPNJ is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CPPNJ maintains responsibility for this program and its contents.

NY Psychologists: Center for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis of New Jersey is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0165. 

Social Workers: Center for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis of New Jersey is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0757.

The New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners, and some other state boards, recognize CEs approved by the New York State Education Department.

Cost: Members $70/$80 pre-registration by October 25; CPPNJ Candidates: $30; Students with ID: $25; Non-Members $100/$110 pre-registration by October 25.

Cancellations made prior to three days (72 hours) before the event will receive a full refund minus a $25 administrative fee.  Cancellations made less than 72 hours before the event will be given a refund of half of the registration fees. Refunds will NOT be granted for cancellation requests made on the day of the event.

There is no potential conflict of interest and/or commercial support for this CE event.



For more information or registration, please call 973-912-4432, visit us online at www.cppnj.org, contact us by email at cppnj@cppnj.org or at CPPNJ 235 Main St, Madison, NJ 07940