Description: Grounded in a deep understanding of what makes intimate relationships succeed, this book provides concrete guidelines for addressing the complexities of real-world clinical practice with couples. Leading couple therapist Ellen Wachtel describes the principles of therapeutic intervention that motivate couples to alter entrenched patterns, build on strengths, and navigate the legacy issues that each person brings to the relationship. She illuminates the often unrecognized choices that therapists face throughout the session and deftly explicates their implications. The epilogue by Paul Wachtel situates the author's pragmatic approach in the broader context of contemporary psychotherapy theory and research."
Review Quotes: "This is one of the most realistic books on couple therapy I have seen in my 40 years as a couple therapist and couple therapy trainer. It describes the course of couple therapy from the start to the end....From the start on it is very clear that the author is an experienced practitioner in the field. I particularly appreciated the many literal citations of what the therapist really says. This is very exceptional in the more than 50 books on couple therapy I have reviewed. Also, the inner conversation of the therapist is very concretely illustrated....I truly recommend this book to practicing couple therapists, old and young, and also to everyone who wants to know what couple therapists are doing....This is an original and rich couple therapy manual!"-- "Marriage, Families, and Spirituality" (8/1/2019 12:00:00 AM)