The Couples Therapist Couch

Traditional therapy has done a great job of providing clients with a warm, loving, compassionate environment to heal. Unfortunately, it falls short when it comes to bringing up difficult truths to people when that is necessary. In this episode, Terry Real talks about the three phases of his model, Relational Life Therapy (RLT), the first of which is joining through the truth. In this way he begins the process of creating quick, profound change in the individuals and couples he works with. 

Janis Abrahms Spring, PhD has beautifully answered the questions that come up for people after going through an affair, in her book, After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful. That book has been incredibly successful and has sold over 500,000 copies. In addition to that she has written two other books which are linked in the show notes. She has been in practice for over 40 years in Westport, Connecticut.

Some of the most challenging couples we see in Couples Therapy are those who are no longer even in a relationship. When children are involved, it is not possible to ever completely be free of one's ex partner.  In these situations it is incredibly important for these co-parents to work together in order to support the children in the best way possible. Karen Bonnell is an expert at helping these co-parents work through these situations in a way that is healthy for everyone.

As Couples Therapists we bring our own experience and training to each couple we work with. The best Therapists have the ability to be present and trust their instincts to guide couples to what they need. Stan Tatkin is the creator of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy. He is the author of several books for couples which are listed below with links. 

This is the 6th edition of the bonus business episodes that are released the first (or second) Thursday of each month. This is a solo episode with Shane Birkel that is all about steps you can take if your practice isn't quite where you want it to be yet. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week.

People often have a hard time feeling heard and understood, especially in their relationships. In this episode of The Couples Therapist Couch, Anabelle Bugatti talks about attachment and how that influences how we are in relationships. Anabelle works with couples using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and discusses important considerations for using EFT with couples and how this framework is one of the best ways to get results in couples therapy.

92% of parents report increased disagreements after the baby is born. Adding to the huge amount of stress experienced in the transition to parenthood is the perception that we are not good enough or that we are doing something wrong.  Elly Taylor has made it her mission to help couples better prepare for the journey of becoming their new version of "us". She has broken it down into 8 steps for families to understand in order to be able to thrive.

As couples therapists we know how important a good foundation is. Educating couples about relationship skills right from the beginning can set them up for a lifetime of fulfillment. Unfortunately, we are not taught nearly enough about what it takes to have a happy, healthy relationship in our society. Mayi Dixon helps couples with this by offering premarital counseling in her private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. She works with these couples to learn how to have a fulfilling relationship.

Everyone knows someone who has been impacted by infidelity. It is such a prevalent reality in our society, yet there is still so much taboo and limited understanding in the way that we talk about it. In this interview with Terri DiMatteo, we talk about how to help couples affected by infidelity and betrayal. We go into detail about how to guide couples to have a different perspective and learn to trust and depend on each other again.

*Bonus business episode. We all have trauma from being in school and getting a big red X on a paper. When people mention the word paperwork it can definitely trigger an anxiety response in a lot of people.  Maelisa Hall, with her business QA Prep is not only making paperwork more fun, but also making it meaningful to enhance the work we do with clients. 

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) is one of the most well regarded models being used by couples therapists today. In this episode Jim Thomas offers a glimpse into some of the aspects of EFT that make it so powerful when used well with couples. The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy. The host, Shane Birkel, interviews an expert in the field of couples therapy each week. Please subscribe to the podcast for more great episodes!

A meaningful apology can transform a relationship. A lackluster apology can just as easily lead to major problems in people's ability to connect.  For the past 2 decades, Dr. Harriet Lerner has studied the art of the apology and recently just published her latest book called Why Won't You Apologize?

All couples get stuck in emotional interactions and patterns that lead to them feeling hurt and wanting to be loved at the same time. It can feel very confusing when the person who we feel is hurting us is also the one who we want to love us. Figs O'Sullivan talks about getting beyond the content of these couples interactions to guide couples to be more understanding and feel more connected. Figs is a Couples Therapist in San Francisco and the creator of the relationship quiz, Empathi.

In the conversation with Bill O'Hanlon, he talks about guiding couples to express themselves by using specific examples and come up with specific solutions that empower them to break through the areas where they feel stuck. Bill O'Hanlon is the founder of Solution-Oriented Therapy and the author or co-author of 36 books. He has given over 3500 talks in 27 countries and his work has been featured in many media outlets including an appearance on Oprah.

There are specific things for therapists to think about when working with a couple who has been impacted by autism. It could be a child of the couple or one of the partners who is on the spectrum, but whatever the case, there is a lot to consider.  This conversation with Janeen Herskovitz sheds light on many of those concepts for therapists to keep in mind.  The Couples Therapist Couch is the podcast for Couples Therapists about the practice of couples therapy.