Couples Psychology – the Profession with Many Names
This field has several names: couples therapy, marital therapy and marriage counseling are all the same. The choice of titles generally hinges on what theory of psychotherapy the psychologist espouses, and which title is acceptable to the insurance company carrying the couple’s policy.
Couples therapy focuses on the problems existing in the relationship between two people. But, these relationship problems always involve individual symptoms and problems, as well as the relationship conflicts. Each partner brings his or her own psychological clutter into the therapy session. For example, if you are constantly arguing with your spouse, you will probably also be chronically anxious, angry or depressed (or all three). If you are quick to anger, the first place that characteristic is most likely to manifest itself is in your relationship.
Some of the Processes and Practices of Couples Psychology
In couples therapy, the psychologist will help you and your partner identify the conflict issues within your relationship, and will help you decide what changes are needed, in the relationship and in the behavior of each partner. Often the primary role of a psychologist in couples therapy initially is moving the discussion beyond the “he said/she said” level and into less emotional, more straightforward review of the conflicts.
These changes may be different ways of interacting within the relationship, or they may be individual changes related to personal psychological problems. Couples therapy involves learning how to communicate more effectively, and how to listen more closely. Often, the hardest step in this process is the first one, which is opening a conversation on neutral ground.
Couples must learn how to avoid competing with each other, and need to identify common life goals and how to share responsibilities within their relationship. Sometimes the process is very similar to individual psychotherapy, sometimes it is more like mediation, and sometimes it is educational. It is up to the couples psychologist to determine what mix of these three elements should be involved and at what stage in the therapeutic process.
Some Data on the Efficacy of Couples Psychology
Research outcomes on couples counseling suggest the following:
At the end of couple’s therapy, 75% of couples receiving therapy are better off than similar couples who did not receive therapy.
Sixty five percent of couples report "significant" improvement based on averaged scores of marital "satisfaction."
Most couples will benefit from therapy, but both spouses will not necessarily experience the same outcomes or benefits.
Therapies that produce the greatest gain and are able to maintain that gain over the long amount of time, tend to affect the couple's emotional bonds and help the spouse's work together to achieve a greater level of "differentiation" or emotional maturity.
In determining as a couple what type of therapist that you wish to receive treatment from keep in mind that according to a large-scale survey of over 4,000 Consumer Reports readers showed in 1995, people in therapy generally rated psychologists, clinical social workers, and psychiatrists about as equally effective in helping their clients.
