CC17 Keynote 04 - Affairs, Addictions and Deception: The PACT Approach - Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT

Description:

Of all the challenges to the couple therapist the most common is the matter of the affairs, addictions, and deception. In this one- hour presentation, attendees will learn various methods of detecting cheating, lying, and substance and non-substance abuse very early in the process of couple therapy. We will be looking at these behaviors from both psychobiological and neurobiological perspectives. However, detection is but one hurdle for the couple therapist. The other is intervention. PACT has a specific orientation for dealing with affairs, addictions, and deception. Attendees will get a thorough introduction to these methods as well as takeaways that can be utilized immediately in their own practice.

Educational Objectives:

1. To be able to list at least three methods for discovering deception, affairs, and addictions.
2. To be able to apply at least three interventions for dealing with betrayals.
3. To be able to describe and differentiate between various levels of betrayal and deception.

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*

Outline:

Keynote Introduction and Acknowledgments

• Speaker emphasizes the importance of new ideas and cross-disciplinary thinking.

Learning from Other Fields

• Encourages learning from fields like astronomy, animal behavior, art, science, law, and magic.

• Notes overlaps between therapists, spies, magicians, and hypnotists.

• Supports moving from single-theory to poly-theoretical models (e.g., integrating neurobiology).

Understanding Deception in Psychotherapy

• Deception is common: people lie ~10 times daily.

• Lying varies by personality and relationship type (e.g., introvert vs. extrovert, married vs. unmarried).

• Therapists must stay curious and investigative to uncover lies in therapy.

Types and Signs of Deception

• Includes lying, withholding, deflecting, and gaslighting.

• Truth detection involves comparing current behavior to an individual’s typical baseline.

• Important to recognize aggressive or evasive responses.

Non-Verbal Cues and Behavior

• Look for clusters of unusual actions, behavioral pauses, jerky or frozen movement.

• Micro expressions and facial shifts are key deception indicators.

• Movement of "anchor points" (e.g., hands, feet) can signal stress.

Arousal and Emotional Regulation

• High arousal affects behavior, facial expression, and verbal coherence.

• Signs include pupil dilation, changes in skin tone, and micro-shifts in facial muscles.

• The face is the primary channel for emotional signals.

Establishing Baselines

• Observe normal behavior patterns to detect deviations during stress or deception.

• Watch for over-control or under-control of facial expressions and affect.

• Deception shows up in clusters of subtle behavior changes.

Narrative Coherence

• Inconsistent stories, too much or too little detail, and contradictions may reveal deception.

• Pay attention to how smoothly a person narrates under pressure.

Use of Presumptive Techniques and Hyperbole

• Strong questions and exaggerated statements can provoke revealing responses.

• Helps test hypotheses and observe emotional or behavioral shifts.

Video Analysis and Frame Review

• Video recording helps spot micro expressions and non-verbal cues frame by frame.

• Used for training, feedback, and identifying deceptive patterns.

• Reinforces the importance of precise observation and understanding affect regulation.

Final Thoughts

• Therapists must be clear and grounded before acting on assumptions.

• Studying behavior under pressure is key to detecting deception.

• Video analysis and careful observation are powerful tools to improve therapeutic accuracy.