ABSTRACT
This chapter illustrates intrapersonal work as a healing force in couple therapy. In Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO), the chapter facilitates deep healing work in the presence of a partner for a number of reasons, including helping the couple access Self-energy, promoting internal attachment and evoking empathy instead of judgment from the witnessing partner. Encouraging the couple to explore and be aware of how childhood affects their current behavior creates the opportunity for relational unburdenings. Early life is the focal point of much of the individual work done within couple therapy. When one partner is blended with a part and overcome with emotion, the therapist may choose to work with that partner individually while the other one acts as a witness. This will be a paradigm shift for couple therapists who have been taught not to work with an individual during a session that involves both partners.
