Age differences between partners can shape how couples understand themselves, how others view their relationship, and how they navigate power, culture and expectations. This live session explores age-gap relationships through an intercultural and systemic lens. It considers the Social GRRAACCEESS, intersectionality, family-of-origin influences and the family life cycle, including differences in fertility, sexuality, digital experience and social position.
The session will also examine how media, family and wider society can reinforce stereotypes, shame or opposition to age-diverse relationships. Through a case vignette involving an intercultural couple, participants will consider how to assess power differentials, explore attachment styles and shared values, and support couples facing conflict with family or friends.
Participants will be introduced to practical clinical approaches, including life-cycle and ecosystemic perspectives and the use of a culturegram. The session will be relevant to psychosexual and relationship therapists working with couples whose age difference intersects with cultural, religious, ethnic or family differences. Participants will leave with a broader understanding of age-gap relationships and ideas for helping couples communicate about their identities, values, future plans and changing needs across the life cycle.
Class schedule:
1.30–2.00 pm:
Introduction and personal reflection: What does an age difference mean within a relationship?
2.00–2.15 pm:
Research, cultural diversity and the Social GRRAACCEESS
2.15–2.30 pm:
Intersectionality, societal discourses and power differences
2.30–2.40 pm:
Fertility, sexuality, marital satisfaction and the family life cycle
2.40–2.45 pm: T
The internet, digital differences and changing relationship contexts
2.45–3.00 pm:
Discussion and questions
3.00–3.15 pm:
Break
3.15–3.25 pm:
Case vignette: Meera and Paul
3.25–3.45 pm:
Clinical interventions: life cycle and ecosystemic approaches, visual and representational methods and reflecting teams.
3.45–4.20 pm:
Individual clinical reflection and team feedback
4.20 – 4.30 pm:
Discussion and Q&A
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Explain how age differences can intersect with culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, class and other aspects of identity.
- Understand how social and family discourses may influence age-gap relationships and contribute to shame, secrecy or opposition.
- Identify potential power differentials and consider how these may change across the family life cycle.
- Explore how differences in fertility, sexuality, digital experience, family expectations and life-stage priorities may affect couples.
- Apply an intercultural and systemic perspective when working with couples in which age difference is clinically significant.
- Use a culturegram and other exploratory questions to support discussion of family-of-origin beliefs, values and cultural differences.
About the Trainer
Dr. Reenee Singh is a Consultant Family and Couples Systemic Psychotherapist with over 30 years of clinical experience.
She currently works at The Child and Family Practice in London, where she is the co-founder and Director of the London Intercultural Couples Centre. A former editor of the Journal of Family Therapy, she was also the first CEO of the Association of Family Therapy (AFT).
Dr. Singh has authored and edited four books, including Race and Culture (2018), The Intercultural Exeter Model (2020), and Home Is Where the Heart Is: Aporias of Love and Belonging in Intercultural Couples (2020). She has also written numerous articles and chapters focused on issues of race, culture, and qualitative research in family therapy. Her work is widely cited, and she presents internationally on topics related to intercultural relationships, family therapy, and systemic approaches.
Her research and clinical practice focus particularly on supporting intercultural and mixed-race couples, helping them navigate challenges such as language barriers, cultural differences, and questions of identity. Dr. Singh’s contributions to the field have been recognized with awards, including the Outstanding Achievement award at the British Sikh Awards in 2022.
