The field of couples therapy suffers from a dearth of empirically supported materials. Anecdotes, conjecture, and hearsay abound. This article discusses several myths and underscores some active ingredients of effective couples counseling. The adjunctive value of bibliotherapy is presented and the interactions among such components as similarity, compatibility, mood, disposition, temperament, and communication are elucidated. Clinical vignettes illustrate and bring to life several crucial issues and principles.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bach, G. R.
, & Wyden, P. (1969). The intimate enemy: How to fight fair in love and marriage. New York: William Morrow.
2.
Carlson, J.
, & Dinkmeyer, D. (1999). TIME for a better marriage. In R. Berger & M. T. Hannah (Eds.), Preventive approaches in couples therapy (pp. 149-168). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
3.
Dreikurs, R.
(1946). The challenge of marriage. New York: Hawthorn.
4.
Ellis, A.
(1962). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy. New York: Lyle Stuart.
5.
Fay, A.
(1999). Making it as a couple. Essex, CT: FMC Books.
6.
Gottman, J. M.
, & Silver, N. (1999). The seven principles of making marriage work. New York: Crown.
7.
Hamburg, S. R.
(2000). Will our love last? A couple’s roadmap. New York: Scribner.
8.
Hendrix, H.
(1988). Getting the love you want: A guide for couples. New York: Holt.
9.
Hendrix, H.
, & Hunt, H. (1999). Imago relationship therapy: Creating a conscious marriage or relationship. In R. Berger & M. T. Hannah (Eds.), Preventive approaches in couples therapy (pp. 169-195). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
10.
Herman, S. M.
(1991). A psychometric evaluation of the Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire: A demonstration of reliability and validity. Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 9, 85-94.
11.
Herman, S. M.
(1993). A demonstration of the validity of the Multimodal Structural Profile through a correlation with the Vocational Preference Inventory. Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 11, 71-80.
12.
Lazarus, A. A.
(1997). Brief but comprehensive psychotherapy: The multimodal way. New York: Springer.
13.
Lazarus, A. A.
, & Lazarus, C. N. (1997). The 60-second shrink: 101 strategies for staying sane in a crazy world. San Luis Obispo, CA: Impact.
14.
Lederer, W. J.
, & Jackson, D. D. (1968). The mirages of marriage. New York: Norton.
15.
Leiblum, S. R.
, & Rosen, R. C. (2000). Principles and practice of sex therapy (3rd ed.). New York: Guilford.
16.
Milsten, R.
, & Slowinski, J. (1999). The sexual male: Problems and solutions. New York: Norton.
17.
Stuart, R. B.
(1980). Helping couples change. New York: Guilford.
18.
Van de Velde, T. H.
(1930). Ideal marriage: Its physiology and technique. Covici: Friede.
19.
Zilbergeld, B.
(1999). The new male sexuality (rev. ed.). New York: Bantam.
