→ Psychotherapy generally → Couple TherapyCouple Therapy
Whereas the classical forms of psychotherapy assume that illnesses, symptoms and interpersonal difficulties express disturbances of the individual that originate from infantile experiences, couple and family therapy assume that the interesting problems signalise a perturbance in the relationship system, i.e. in the way of dealing with each other.
Because relationships are easier to evaluate and to treat when both partners are present, couple therapy is always a matter of both partners. It doesn’t make any difference whether only one is sick (the “symptom bearer”) because of the perception that both partners maintain the symptoms together in a (most often inconscious) interaction.
With both partners present the mechanism of this interaction is being examined. They both learn to deal with each other in a new, more constructive way. All diseases can be removed. The partners come to know that one partner’s specific behaviour needn’t automatically cause a practised reaction of the other.
Couple therapy carefully avoids blaming one of both partners for the perturbance. Scapegoats don’t exist in relationship conflicts. The problem always is a common problem of both partners
Couple therapy requires that both partners are still interested in maintaining the relationship. If the therapist sees that it isn’t only burdened with relationship problems but only by an older, unsolved problem of one partner, they can suggest an individual therapy additionally or as a replacement.
Couple therapy is adequate for alomst all types of acute and chronic relationship perturbances, e.g. psychosomatic perturbances, sexual problems or alcoholism.