Couples therapy works only if your therapist can “manage marital combat, mix it up with the client, and be a ninja.” Couples therapy is filled with difficult problems such as who is the client and what is the goal. One spouse can think the therapist is a genius while the other spouse thinks the therapist is clueless or even an enemy. Arguments, even screaming arguments, can erupt in a few minutes. Sometimes one partner seeks counseling in order to commit “therapist-endorsed-divorce,” and in answer to the question “What’s wrong with the marriage?” the answer will sometimes be the partner and not a behavior. Anger and volatility fill the air.
Counseling high-conflict couples is “like piloting a helicopter in a hurricane.” Dr. Orlandini, a Miami area therapist, helps couples navigate through their hurricane.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How effective is couples therapy for high-conflict relationships?
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Can one partner's view impact the success of couples therapy?
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Why might emotions escalate quickly during couples therapy?
Sources
- How Does Couples Therapy Work? | Psychology Today (psychologytoday.com)Jun 13, 2023 ... Couples therapy involves a deeper process that explores the roots of partners' current problems with the intent of resolving dysfunctional patterns of ...
- 5 Marriage Counselors on What Therapy Can't Fix - The Cut (thecut.com)Mar 31, 2023 ... Did some couples make it who I thought wouldn't? It depends. Staying ... I only work with couples if they're doing their part, and it's ...
- Does Couples Therapy Work? - NYTimes.com (nytimes.com)Mar 2, 2012 ... ... like piloting a helicopter in a hurricane.” Advertisement. SKIP ... couples,” Dr. Pinsof says. “You have to be very active in ...
- What Couples Therapy Is Really Like, From People Who Tried It (wondermind.com)Feb 9, 2023 ... ... therapy, I realized I needed to do a lot of work on myself. I ... work on your relationship together can have a huge effect on a couple.