ABSTRACT
Couples come to therapy with a high level of stress and emotional volatility, leaving the clinician to feel like they have little control at times in the session. Couples therapy often focuses on difficulties in the relationship, but successful couples therapy does not end with removal of the identified problems. Effective couples therapy results in a more deeply satisfying relationship sustainable from the perspective of both partners. Expert clinicians are also well aware that the couple is the primary agent of their own change and work to ensure that the couple takes credit for the changes they make in the relationship. When clinicians and researchers talk of common factors, they are considering the notion that different treatment methods in counseling share common factors that account for much of the effectiveness of treatment. Clinicians will readily admit that they use client feedback in every session by virtue of the nature of their interactions with the client.
