ABSTRACT
This chapter presents two common and perhaps most challenging areas in treating couples: Substance abuse and domestic violence. The control of substance abuse rests in the hands of the individual and his or her relational system. Couple therapists who work with substance abusers need to develop their own answer to this question. If a couple explicitly states that substance abuse is a presenting concern, or if the therapist suspects that it may be more of an issue than is being reported, the therapist will want to get more in-depth information. In terms of the efficacy of couple therapy and substance abuse treatment, there are encouraging findings. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is one of the most devastating and pervasive problems confronting families and society in the 21st century. The origins of IPV against women go back as far as recorded civilization and are rooted in patriarchal attitudes.
