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.
Read more.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does couples therapy work for high-conflict couples?
- Couples therapy can be effective for high-conflict couples if the therapist is skilled in managing intense emotions and conflicts. Dr. Elsa Orlandini describes the process as similar to piloting a helicopter in a hurricane, requiring the therapist to navigate complex challenges and varying perceptions from each partner.
- What skills are important for a couples therapist in high-conflict situations?
- In high-conflict situations, a couples therapist needs to manage marital conflicts, engage dynamically with clients, and handle volatile emotions. The therapist should maintain a balance between the differing perspectives of partners and facilitate constructive communication.
- What challenges do couples face in therapy?
- Couples often face challenges such as differing perceptions about the therapist's effectiveness, intense arguments, and conflicting goals, which can lead one partner to seek a 'therapist-endorsed-divorce.' A successful therapist must address these issues adeptly.
Sources
- Is it couple therapy, couple's therapy, or couples therapy? (psychotherapynotes.com)Jul 2, 2018 ... But we can draw some inferences from the organization's title: While ... Graduate programs that teach therapists how to work with couples ...
- I'm a marriage counselor. Here's how I can tell a couple is heading ... (vox.com)Feb 11, 2015 ... I work to help each person own his or her share in what the relationship has become, to encourage them to remember what they saw in one another ...
- What's in a title? "Couple" versus "Marriage" and family therapists (psychotherapynotes.com)May 9, 2018 ... Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) work with individuals, families, and couples of all types. The title "marriage and family therapist" ...
- TOP 10 BEST Couples Therapy in Miami, FL - Updated 2025 - Yelp (yelp.com)Dr. Reiss is a wise, compassionate and relatable therapist. She has helped me through some difficult transitions in my life, and is particularly good with ...