Training to become an effective provider of health-focused counseling with individuals and couples can be a daunting challenge given the complexity that medical and other health issues adds to the counseling process. To facilitate the process of learning to do such health-focused counseling, a relatively straightforward interview strategy, derived from cognitive behavior analysis system of psychotherapy, is described. The strategy is then illustrated with a couple experiencing relational discord, which is exacerbated by one spouse’s chronic illness (i.e., systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly referred to as lupus).
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