Teaching Couples Counseling: An Integrative Model

Abstract

Traditionally, training in couples counseling has not received equal status as other counseling modalities. Recently, there is renewed interest in specific training for couples counseling as more emphasis is placed on the stability of couple relationships as an important factor for helping families and children function in a society of frequent divorce and escalating school-related violence. Similar to group work, couples counseling has emerged as a discipline that combines theoretical elements and strategies. This article describes teaching couples counseling using an integrative model that is strength-based and solution-focused and helps couples progress through distinct stages and move from the notion of “we have a problem” to “we have a solution.”

University Students Leaving Relationships (USLR)

“…The misery of troubled relationships may prompt young university students to seek counseling services to assist them while deciding to stay in or leave the relationship (Long & Burnett, 2005; Walker & McCarthy, 2001). Therefore, one goal of the present study was to develop a psychometrically tested University Students Leaving Relationships (USLR) scale as a needs-assessment tool to help students identify their specific concerns about ending relationships so that counselors may guide them to individual actions or group workshops to reduce these concerns and move forward with their decisions.…”

A Developmental Model for Counseling Infertile Couples

“…We believe that an integrative approach of counseling, which is strength-based and solution-focused, is an ideal method for working with infertile couples. The integrative approach helps couples advance through discrete stages and move from problem focused to solution focused by thoughtfully providing a systemic and systematic model that can generate many hypotheses and techniques to be used in couples' problematic situations (Dattilio, 1998;Jacobson & Christensen, 1996;Long & Burnett, 2005). The integrative approach allows counselors to develop specific interventions based on several theoretical models.…”

Evaluating Treatment Outcomes Using the Integrative Model of Brief Couples Counseling

“…Finally, the validation stage is marked by the couples’ ability to celebrate the successes they have achieved in counseling and their ability to solve future challenges as they arise (Long & Young, 2007). The essentials of the IMBCC have been published (Long & Burnett, 2005; O’Brien & Young, 2014; Young & Carlson, 2011), but the model has not been empirically evaluated. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the IMBCC’s effectiveness in improving marital adjustment and reducing psychological distress with a sample of married couples.…”