Pragmatic Couple’s Therapy

Key Concepts:

1. Change negatives to positives.
2. Increase and improve communication.
3. Changing perceptions does not work – changing interactions does work.

 Therapy Strategies:

1. Use a sequence of change:

-         Find source of distress

-         Challenge cognitive explanation of problem

-         Promote relevant relationship skills (e.g., communication)

-         Strengthen the dyad by focusing on positives

-         Contain relationship crises

-         Develop a collaborative alliance with the couple

 Assessment:

1. Explore feelings, beliefs, assumptions
2. Explore stressors
3. Explore other relationships surrounding dyad
4. Get a developmental history

 Therapy Techniques:

1. Modeling
2. Developing therapeutic trust
3. Setting goals and objectives for change
4. Paraphrasing
5. Acknowledging differences as positive
6. Bring to cognition assumptions, feelings, beliefs

 Key Words:

1. Modeling
2. Assumptions
3. Positives vs. negatives
4. Objectives and goals
5. Therapeutic trust
6. Paraphrasing
7. Cognitive vs. emotional
8. Contain crises
9. Acknowledge differences as good
10. Communication