Couples Counseling Approaches
Gottman Method
The Gottman Method is a form of couples therapy developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. It is based on over 40 years of scientific research on relationships, particularly focusing on marital stability and divorce prediction. The Gottman Method is highly structured and goal-oriented, aiming to help couples build stronger, healthier relationships by improving communication, understanding each other's needs, and fostering positive interactions.
Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) developed by Dr. Sue Johnson is specifically focused on couples therapy and is formally known as Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT-C). Sue Johnson, along with Les Greenberg, initially developed EFT for individual therapy, emphasizing the role of emotions in therapy and the importance of emotional awareness, regulation, and transformation.
Emotion-Focused Therapy is grounded in the belief that attending to emotions directly and facilitating emotional expression and processing can lead to significant therapeutic change and personal growth. It is widely used in clinical practice for treating a range of emotional difficulties, including depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, and more.
Bowen Family Systems
Family systems couples counseling, also known simply as couples counseling within a family systems framework, integrates principles from family systems theory into therapeutic work with couples.
Family systems couples counseling provides a framework for understanding relationship dynamics within the broader context of family systems theory. By exploring and addressing these dynamics, therapists help couples improve their relationships and develop more effective ways of relating to each other.