In this book, Gottman & Silver (1999) present sound marriage advice based on years of study. Chapters 1 and 2 cover preventing and predicting divorce. They focus on keeping the negatives from outweighing the positives. Creating an emotionally intelligent marriage involves being in touch with your spouse’s emotions (Gottman & Silver, 1999).…
The therapist would then employ an intervention that focuses on aiding their basic communication pitfalls. Our therapist is utilizing these skills as simply an initial symptom relief, helping them to truly listen to one another instead of merely hearing. Yet, when looking at our couple in particular, and realizing the external pressures which are creating the disengagement between the two, it becomes important to look at the bigger picture. If basic communication were addressed solely, this couple would again return to this place of bickering and misunderstandings, and if a repetitive cycle is induced a divorce is likely to transpire. Thus, the question of why our clients do not understand one another must be asked so that the real therapy can begin. The therapist will use a modified Western orientation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to encompass an African-Centered foundation. A completely conventional treatment would not address the cultural background of our couple and their unconventional needs. A culturally specific treatment would not value the fact that our couple lives and deals with a pervasive, Eurocentric world that is presented to them day by day from the time they wake up until they lay their heads on their pillows at night. Thus, the cognitive behavioral theory will work to change the maladaptive thinking patterns that are causing the negative emotions in their marriage. Through homework and validity testing the couple will be able to recognize that most of their troubles are not with each other specifically, and begin to work on their displacement of feeling and how it affects their emotional state when with their spouse. Both orientations resolve with cognitive restructuring whereby CBT seeks to replace their maladaptive thoughts that are distressing them in their marriage by understanding…
When a couple agrees to counseling to help their marriage, one of the first things sought after would be to resolve differences that are weighing heavy on the marriage. In this case, Steve and Cindy have started on a journey through taking the PREPARE/ENRICH program. The tests and answers are detailed to the couples characteristics and personalities and cover the couples strengths and weaknesses. This case study analysis will separate the case into three main topics of discussion. Their strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted first then potential conflicts or problems will be discussed and finally a development plan for support and counseling will be discussed.…
The church I am presently on staff at requires all couples requesting to be married by any staff member go through marriage counseling. This can be done in as little as 3 or 4 sessions which last between 90 minutes and 2 hours. These counseling sessions cover a packet we have put together that covers a variety of issues. We will be discussing some of these within this paper as well as some we will look at adding to the agenda.…
Most marriages are formed when two people love each other and share the same aspirations in life. Once couples are married their views begin to change. They realize that marriage is hard and after having kids it’s even harder. Hope Edelman, in her essay “The Myth of Co-Parenting: How It Was Supposed to be. How It Was,” feels frustrated with her husband because of his lack of participation in their marriage. On the other hand, Eric Bartels in his essay “My Problem with Her Anger,” is frustrated with his wife because she is angry with him all the time. Though these essays address marriage from both a male and female perspective, they both discuss idealistic views of marriage, lack of communication, blame, and how to fix their problem.…
Often, by the time a couple enters into marriage counseling the couple has been participation in a cycle of destructive behavior ranging from, anger, hostility criticism, communication issues, and so forth. It is reported that more than 40% of clients who seek psychotherapy of any kind state marital distress and the reason (Gurman and Fraenkal,…
In this paper I will look at what is means to be a couples’ counsellor. What theories apply to this mode of counselling and how can these can be utilised during the sessions. I will also consider some of the aspects that need to be considered with couples counselling including tools and key focus areas to support the effective sessions.…
The target for change is based on an assessment of the couple, with an extensive collection of sensible, powerful, planned interventions flexibly used in sessions. He aims to apply faith working through love. This is founded on scripture depicting God’s pattern for helping people mature (Galations 5:5-6). Worthington defines love as a willingness to value and to avoid devaluing people that springs from a caring, other-focused heart. This strategy involves fostering hope and motivation, showing tangible ways to change, and strengthening the couple’s resolve to wait on God’s work in their marriage. His structure for counseling consists of no more than 10 sessions, each with assessment, in-session interventions, and homework assignments. These interventions are physical with verbal processing and should be focused and choreographed toward promoting the strategy of faith working through love, giving hope to the couple. Worthington focuses the interventions in nine typical areas of conflict: central beliefs and values, core vision, confession/forgiveness, communication, conflict resolution, cognition, closeness, complicating factors, and commitment. Focus in these areas can help target, address, and resolve the weaknesses and emotionally negative pitfalls that the couple needs to work through. Worthington and Crabb has a few areas in which they find common ground here – namely commitment and forgiveness. However, Worthington’s strategy and structure is much more defined, offering an outlined guide, tools, and resources for counselors to use and build…
Structural Family Therapy (SFT) is a method of psychotherapy developed by Salvador Minchin that focuses on the family dynamics. It is considered the most influential family therapy worldwide according to Stupart (2014). The primary purpose of the different approaches to the psychotherapy is to help people feel differently, and change their thinking and behavior (Stupart 2014). The goal of SFT is to join the family system in therapy to determine any dysfunctional relationships and how to heal them while reestablishing the family unity. This is achieved by simply by modifying the way the family interacting with other and by developing appropriate boundaries.…
4. How do you deal with the message, that you are a are screwed up? (Not ever said he just fees that way.)…
Lebow, J. (2014). Stages of therapy: Engagement, assessment, and termination. In , Couple and family therapy: An integrative map of the territory (pp. 151-170). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14255-007…
Baugh, E.J, & Humphries, D. (2010). Can we talk? improving couples ' communication1. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/fy/fy04400.pdf…
The article by Hawkins et al. covers the study of marriage and relationship education Research (MRE). Marriage and relationship education entails the development of strategies, interaction, skilled communication and problem-solving abilities with a focus on active listening, allow for the development of a solid and healthy facilitate healthy connection between people in a relationship (Hawkins, Blanchard, Baldwin, & Fawcett (2008). Marriage and relationship education is not provided to couples alone, but presented on a group level as a prevention tool for current committed couples, who are working on strengthening their relationship. (Hawkins et al., 2008). This approach is not meant for crisis solving, but for those working toward establishing a stronger bond. Marriage and relationship education (MRE) can provide individuals and couples the ability to have strong, happy relationships.…
Wetchler, J. L. (2002, March). Couple Therapy and the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy. pp. 1-3.…
Individual therapy is a key component in addiction treatment. Many rehabs already offer group therapy and addiction education. To get a greater benefit from treatment, patients need individualized treatment. Every person is different, so each patient needs a treatment that is tailored to their unique needs.…