Basic information about couples therapy

The institution of marriage and the family in general suffers from a serious crisis since the 80s. This is due to both pressures tend to idealize and to weaken the relationship. This contradiction can contribute to an increase in requests for marriage counseling in consultations of Psychiatry .

There is also growing interest in discovering the nature of the interaction between the couple, which also emphasizes the fragility of the relationship and the need for "self-actualize".

Major marital problems

The main problems facing couples today and are reason to go to couples therapy are:

• excessive jealousy
• Incompatibility couple
• Conflicts or constant discussions
• Dissatisfaction with the couple
• Infidelity
• Estrangement or coldness couple
• Lack of privacy
• Conflict with the laws
• sexual problems (apathy, impotence, anorgasmia, lack of libido, etc.)
• Communication problems between the couple

Types of couples therapy

Currently, couples therapy can have several types of techniques:

• Psychoanalytical model focuses on the so - called "inner world" of couples, often unconscious, which shows the nature of the interactions and responses to changing situations. Thus, psychoanalysis assumes that each partner has a misconception about each other's personality and the relationship.
• Cognitive-behavioral approach: their focus is the behavior of the components of the couple, so your premise is that the couple has reached a very low level of mutual positive reinforcement or both employ overly restrictive methods to control behavior other. That is why in this therapy a sensible negotiation of rights and obligations valued each. Thus, cognitive behavioral therapy analyzes the behavior of each pair to alter the relationship in order to improve understanding and communication.
• Systemic approach: takes place in relationships where a member excessively enters the private sphere of the other, that is, when someone wants to have more or less intimate proximity in relation to issues. This can happen both a couple and between parents and children. That is why systemic therapy aims to establish parameters to know the proper distance or closeness in every relationship.