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About
Dr. Stephen Betchen isn’t like other doctors. Known for his unique approach to couples therapy, he sees things in a relationship that others typically don’t see. His skills of observation and analysis are matched only by his experience and accomplishment. Dr. Betchen has an authentic, relatable style that you may not expect from an Ivy League-educated doctor. As a pioneer in Master Conflict Therapy, he has earned the respect of the industry and countless couples alike. Whether he’s helping partners find their master conflict, providing sex therapy, or teaching techniques on how to re-balance a relationship, Dr. Stephen Betchen has an effective, meaningful point-of-view that’s all his own.
Stephen J. Betchen earned his doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania with a specialization in marriage and family therapy. He subsequently trained at Penn's renowned Marriage Council of Philadelphia and completed fellowships in psychology (sex therapy) at The New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center and in psychoanalysis (Freudian) at The Institute of the Philadelphia Association for Psychoanalysis. Dr. Betchen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Sex Therapist. He is a member of SSTAR (Society for Sex Therapy and Research) and the APA (American Psychological Association) and has served for many years as an Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Couples and Family Therapy Graduate Program at Thomas Jefferson University as well as a Senior Supervisor in the Council for Relationships' Post-Graduate Sex Therapy Program. Dr. Betchen is one of only a few couples and sex therapists in the country to be certified as a "supervisor" by both The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT).
Dr. Betchen is the author of several scholarly articles and chapters, numerous blogs and magazine pieces, over 500 newspaper columns, and four books on relationships. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book Intrusive Partners-Elusive Mates: The Pursuer-Distancer Dynamic in Couples (Routledge, 2005). His latest book (with Heather Davidson) is Master Conflict Therapy: A New Model for Practicing Couples and Sex Therapy (Routledge, 2018). He specializes in treating complex relationship issues ranging from affairs, divorce, poor communication, chronic fighting, and problems with intimacy as well as a wide range of sexual issues including sexual addiction, erectile disorder, premature ejaculation, vaginismus, inhibited orgasm, low sexual desire, and childhood sexual abuse.
Dr. Betchen maintains a private practice in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Image by Blanche Mackey Photography.
Master Conflict
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