ABSTRACT
In starting therapy with individuals, it is extremely helpful to think through a beginning formulation after the history-taking. The constant fights and abuse described from home, and which they demonstrated to the author in the sessions, made him wonder why they would stay together. Interestingly, as couples learn to work together in therapy, they will often remember the affective emphases from the history-taking sessions; this allows them to contribute to their understanding of the difficulties they are having. Often couples will spontaneously volunteer information about their sex life in the first few sessions of the therapy as they are explaining the problems in their relationship. Critical incidents may become apparent during the first session when discussing the presenting problems, or while taking a history of the relationship. Many couples have more difficulty communicating with each other about sex than about any other part of their relationship.
