Couple therapy from the perspective of self psychology and intersubjectivity theory.

Abstract

North Suburban Family PsychologistsCentral tenets of self-psychology and intersubjective systems theory (e.g., Stolorow & Atwood, 1992) are applied to the understanding and treatment of couple. The concepts of selfobject needs, unconscious organizing principles, and learned relational patterns are used to conceptualize common couples difficulties. A treatment approach is outlined, involving: (1) listening from within each partner's subjective perspective; (2) establishing a therapeutic dialogue through which each partner's selfobject needs, ways of organizing experience, and patterns of relating can gradually be empathically illuminated and transformed; and (3) facilitating new relational experiences with the couples therapist and eventually between the partners. Four concepts of self psychology that are particularly useful with some of the most challenging aspects of couples work are then discussed. Finally, the judicious use of directive interventions with couples is discussed as consistent with this perspective. A case example is used throughout the paper to illustrate key points.

Selfobject Experience in Long-Term Friendships of Midlife Women

“…Few psychodynamic thinkers have written about the therapeutic use of understanding friendships and even fewer have explored this from the clinical theory of self psychology. Selfobject functions experienced through spouses (Leone, 2008), analysts (Togashi, 2012), religion (Miller & Carlin, 2010;Son, 2015), and art (Warner, 2013) have been explored. Galatzer-Levy and Cohler (1990) even describe the selfobject functions of mentorship, parenthood, and old age, but admit that "Particularly important selfobject functions in adulthood that have not been touched on here involve friendship and work" (p. 106).…”

From Couple Therapy 1.0 to a Comprehensive Model: A Roadmap for Sequencing and Integrating Systemic, Psychodynamic, and Behavioral Approaches in Couple Therapy

“…Transference hopes and fears, intrapsychic conflicts, and idiographic sensitivities are explored with the goal of elucidating what powers the counterproductive behaviors of the negative interaction cycle. In all cases, therapists can point out that less‐than‐perfect behavior is common when people face their negative transference expectations or believe that their central needs are not being met (Leone, ; Shaddock, ).…”

Psychodynamic Couple Therapy: A Practical Synthesis

“…Negative interaction cycles are also powered by unmet or poorly articulated hopes, needs, and desires (Leone, ). One central goal when exploring underlying issues is to help couples articulate just what they are really fighting about, including what they need from each other.…”

“…The most important writers in the field of psychodynamic couple therapy include (in alphabetical order) Bergler (), Berkowitz (), Dicks (), Donovan (), Gerson (), Hazlett (), Leone (), Livingston (), Ringstrom (, ), Sager (), Scharff and Scharff (), Shaddock (, ), Siegel (, ), Slipp (), D. Stern (), E. Wachtel (), Willi (), Zeitner (), Zinner (), and others who will be cited later. In addition, some non‐psychoanalysts have made important contributions to a depth psychological perspective on couple therapy: Bowen (), Catherall (), Framo (), Greenberg (Greenberg & Goldman, ; Greenberg & Johnson,), Goldman (Greenberg & Goldman, ), Johnson (Greenberg & Johnson, ; Johnson, , ), Middelberg (), Real (), Scarf (), Scheinkman (), Scheinkman and Fishbane (), and Wile (, , , ).…”