This paper illustrates how couple and individual treatment formats can be intertwined. A conflict resolution theoretical framework structures treatment around three goals: (1) relieving symptoms (anger, depression, and marital distress), (2) facilitating resolution of the couple's conflicts, and (3) building communication and conflict resolution skills. The literature review focuses on why combining individual and couple therapy is often important for married clients. "Two Bicycles," an illustrative case incorporating both conjoint and individual interventions, is presented and analyzed with regard to when each format seems beneficial. Ethical and practical issues raised by dual format treatment include potential harm, informed consent, dual roles, confidentiality, and time and financial costs.
Participants in peaceful relationships generally interact in a friendly and collaborative manner. The tone of their interactions is positive. They share perspectives with smoothly laminar information flow. When subtle negative emotions or bumpiness in the dialogue flow indicate conflict, they seek mutual understanding and find mutually satisfying solutions.
Book Reviewstheir conceptualizations, they sometimes seemed too little impressed by the importance of gender inequalities and by the critical dimensions of economic, social, and political power. Fairly enough, the authors ask us to acknowledge that the socialization of men often causes them to behave self-destructively in many aspects of their lives. However, some of their behaviors seem to benefit them, to help them maintain the male power and advantage that they feel are an inherent part of the male role. If therapists ignore this power issue they will frequently be surprised that many men will resist therapy, not just because it calls for an alien style of communication, but because it makes them fear losing the power they feel they must maintain over women. Many men enter therapy because they seek the benefits of a less-constricted role definition; many come in because they feel they have no alternative. With appropriate sophistication about the political dimensions of therapy, the latter group can also come to benefit from therapy. Additionally, dangers of disempowering women, or of perpetuating victimization are lessened when power issues are overtly discussed. The authors' relative inattention to power issues was troubling.A second criticism relates to the authors' occasional class bias. In their preface they state that their experience is limited to middle-class, heterosexual men. Though they cannot be expected to make their book cover all populations, they should be challenged when they ignore differences. For example, their chapter on men and work is highly slanted toward middle-class and professional orientations. Many of their therapeutic strategies seem most likely to succeed with educated, motivated, therapy-sophisticated clients, but are ill-suited for many working-class, less therapy-wise populations.Thirdly, this book advances the cause of gender sensitivity in therapy by helping therapists become more attuned to how clients' behaviors can be a product of role socialization. Unfortunately, no attention is given to the next logical question-How does the gender of the therapist interact with the gender socialization of the client? No distinction is made in the book about how therapist gender mitigates their suggestions. In fairness to the authors, it must be noted that this is a highly complex area of study, and one that is just beginning to receive attention.In summary, this book is highly recommended as an important contribution to the literature on gender and psychotherapy. It is well written, well integrated, and it offers many valuable clinical insights about the interaction of masculinity and psychotherapy.
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