ABSTRACT
This chapter provides practical guidance to coaches doing couples work. The authors carry forward key concepts of social therapeutics by identifying “the relationship” as the unit of development and growth. They address the specific cultural context of romantic partnerships and marriage and why the social therapeutic metaphor of performance is especially powerful in helping clients to question and overthrow the roles, rules, assumptions and expectations that come with those institutions. Throughout the chapter, there are numerous examples of the coach co-creating with clients to actively discover new ways of communicating and building the relationship. Sections include how to start working with a couple as well as how to break out of scripted gender (and other) roles. This chapter briefly covers the history of couples work and contemporary relationship training options. The authors also provide an overview of popularly available concepts and tools for improving relationships and how a social therapeutic coach might relate when clients bring those into the work.
