Some Prospects for Couples Therapy

Abstract

This paper highlights two specific areas as future prospects for couples therapists. The development of couples therapy has primarily focussed on rejning conceptual models for formulating and intervening with couples and on developing adequate methods of assessment. As a result, some areas have been neglected, specifically (i) an appreciation of the dyadic needs of psychiatric patients, handicapped persons and the elderly and (ii) some of the philosophical issues involved in couples therapy.

Cognitive behavioural couples therapy with gay men referred for counselling in an AIDS setting: A pilot study

“…Couples therapy is an area of counselling which is becoming increasingly popular in many areas of health care, as it has been shown to be effective as an intervention with a wide range of problems, including alcohol problems (Cadogan, 1973), obesity (Weitz & Bucher, 1980), depression (Rush et al, 1980) and radical surgery (Gerard, 1982), as well as with sexual and relationship difficulties (Baker & DeSilva, 1988). It has recently been noted that couples therapy can be of great help where one of the partners has a physical health problem (Bennun, 1986), yet that this is an area which has been neglected. As physical health problems are one of the areas of difficulty facing couples with AIDS, this previous neglect is of significance to those working in an AIDS setting, as they may be in a position to redress the balance by developing this area of work.…”