ABSTRACT

This chapter describes the foundations of effective work with couples and to provide a framework for the effective use of interventions in couple therapy. Working with couples in therapy can be tremendously rewarding—and at times extremely challenging. Couple therapy is, perhaps, the most difficult modality of treatment, and many therapists receive little or no training specifically in couple therapy. The history of couple and family therapy has been filled with an “arms race” of sorts, with different model developers promoting the unique aspects of their respective approaches, followed by researchers intent on empirically determining the best model of therapy for couples. The research theoretical developments and on common factors of change represents one of the most significant developments in couple therapy of the 21st century. In addition to remembering the importance of the alliance and way of being in their work with clients, couple therapists should be careful to avoid common pitfalls.