Description
Book SynopsisThis practical book outlines the essential principles and practices of couple counselling. Demystifying this form of therapy, the author provides a step-by-step guide from the first meeting through to subsequent sessions. The book includes a wealth of supporting features including case examples, student exercises, points for reflection and memory-jog pages to use in practice. As well as chapters illustrating counselling for problems frequently experienced by couples, such as sexual difficulties, infidelity, violence and abuse, key content includes:
- cultural differences in couples work
- varieties of committed relationships
- responses to specific difficulties
- ethical issues that arise as a result of working with two people
- gender differences in relation to the counsellor′s own sexuality and/or gender
- the value of training courses and supervision
- persons′ narratives as a basis for change.
This book comprises a sound basis for one-to-one practitioners wishing to expand their expertise and practice of therapy into working with couples, and for students training in this mode of counselling
Trade Review′This book is well overdue and fills a gap in the market for accessible, pragmatic and sophisticated writing about therapy with couples. This book is inclusive, user-friendly and manages to make links with other approaches where others see divisions′ -
Mark Hayward
Institute of Narrative Therapy ′I strongly recommend this book to any individual counsellor who wants to work effectively with couples, and also to any couple counsellor who wants to enrich their practice′ -
Barry Bowen, Systemic Psychotherapist
Table of ContentsPART ONE: IDEAS AND PRACTICES Individual Counselling and Couple Counselling Narrative Therapy PART TWO: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON COUNSELLORS AND COUPLES Culturally Formed Attitudes towards Couple Relationships Counselling Couples of a Different Sexuality, Age or Cultural Background from the Counsellor PART THREE: SESSION ORGANIZATION The First Joint Session Framework Subsequent Joint Sessions Subsequent Individual Sessions Advanced Practices PART FOUR: SPECIFIC ISSUES Tensions That Escalate to Crisis Point Problems with Friends and Family Members Sexual Difficulties Infidelity Violence and Abuse
