Therapeutic approaches

Question 1

clinical considerations when 3 people in the room

Answer 1

• agreeing on goals
• unique process factors (transference/countertransference, triangulation, conflict problems)
• keeping secrets?
• one on one sessions?
• involving other family members?

Question 2

Why deny couple therapy to specific clients?

Answer 2

• individual concerns
• intimate partner violence
• conflict of interest (seen one member individually)
• client-clinician mismatch

Question 3

Gottman Couples Therapy findings

Answer 3

• couples are very stable
• most relationship problems did not get solved
• 5 positive int. for 1 negative int.
• defined meta-emotion: the way people feel about emotions
  -defined several common relationship dynamics and conflict behaviours

Question 4

how Gottman Couples Therapy works

Answer 4

assesment: couple + therapist
individual session + questionnaires
build a sound relationship house: goal is to create shared meaning

it’s really about what is our dynamic and how do we change it.
-not suited for individual issues, mental health issue, domestic violence

Question 5

Solution-focused couple’s therapy

Answer 5

-goal-oriented, proactive
-based on positive psychology amd behavioural interventions
-little to no focus on the problem, more about finding solution
-focus on identifying resources clients have and using them (patients are the experts on themselves)

not suited for people who want to know the whys

Question 6

Emotionally-Focused Couple Therapy

Answer 6

-grounded in attachment theory
-partner should be safe haven

1. identify couple’s current dance (couple’s dynamic)
2. help clients be clearer about what they are missing
3. help clients practice caring responses

therapist is patients secure base, then she teaches the partners to be the secure base for each other

Question 7

ECT best used for

Answer 7

foxing problems, love between partners is the explicit goals between partners

Question 8

how to construct a control group

Answer 8

-waitlist control group
-psychoeducation-only group
-non-treatment seeking couples
-compare sample stats to known population statistics

Question 9

relative efficacy of all these therapies

Answer 9

most work suggests that all the schools of couple therapy are equally helpful

suggest the most important aspects are common factors: relationship with therapist, getting the therapy you want, collaboration, etc.

Question 10

best approaches for mildly distressed couples and moderately distressed couples

Answer 10

mildly: both bahavioural and emotional approaches equally effective

moderately: EFCT better outcomes