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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