| There is a lot of confusion over whether marital | | | | for the victimized partner. |
| couples therapy will help couples in abusive | | | | If you have tried marital therapy and notice that the |
| relationships. | | | | abuse in your home escalates after your therapy |
| You may have heard that marital therapy is not the | | | | sessions, then you are best to find an alternative |
| proper modality for domestic abuse. Even stronger, | | | | solution to remedy the abuse in your relationship. |
| you may realize that marital therapy is actually | | | | Chances are you and your partner are better suited |
| contra-indicated in the treatment of intimate partner | | | | for a treatment intervention that addresses battering |
| abuse. | | | | and victimization separatelyindividually. |
| Then, you may also realize that some couples who | | | | When Marital Therapy Can Hurt or Help Abusive |
| deal with abusive control issues in their relationship | | | | Relationships |
| can learn to develop new skills to facilitate their use | | | | If it is the case that your couples therapy appears to |
| of non-violent and non-abusive behavioral responses | | | | give your battering partner a stronger edge in |
| with their intimate partner. | | | | maintaining his/her abusive control, recognize why this |
| With this apparent contradictory information, one | | | | is so and you will be best guided to the proper |
| remains confused as to whether marital therapy | | | | intervention for your relationship. |
| works or does not work. Does marital therapy help | | | | Marital therapy is based on a systems approach. The |
| or hurt in the treatment of domestic violence? | | | | goal of the therapy is to maintain the homeostasis of |
| When Marital Therapy Can Help | | | | the system. Each party in the relationship is part of |
| Marital therapy can help couples in which there is | | | | the system, and the responsibility for marital discord |
| interactional relationship violence. That is when the | | | | and dysfunctional interaction is spears across the |
| abusive control dynamics go both ways between the | | | | system. |
| parties. | | | | The problem with this approach, when treating classic |
| At one time, one of the people uses power and | | | | unidirectional intimate partner abuse, is that it |
| control tactics, and on other occasions the other | | | | demands that the victim assume partial responsibility |
| party employs the same tactics of abusive control. | | | | for the battering behavior. Moreover, it gives the |
| These dynamics continue within the relationship with | | | | perpetrator permission not to become accountable |
| the partners merely alternating roles of perpetrator | | | | for his/her use of power and control tactics in the |
| and victim. | | | | relationship. The net result strengthens the abuse |
| For the marital/couples therapy to work as an | | | | dynamic, rather than interrupting the cycle of abuse. |
| effective intervention with these couples, it must | | | | In the case of interactional relationship violence in |
| have both a psychotherapeutic component and a | | | | which the use of power and control tactics goes in |
| domestic violence corrections component. | | | | both directions, couples can come to see the impact |
| When Marital Therapy Can Make It Worse | | | | of their mutual behavior on one another. Under these |
| Alternatively, if the couple is dealing with classic | | | | circumstances, marital therapy gives a voice to both |
| "intimate partner violence," marital therapy will not | | | | parties and can be a platform to facilitate change |
| work to remedy their dysfunctional relationship. | | | | within the relationship. |
| That is, if the abusive control dynamics go in one | | | | What Therapy Is Right for Your Abusive Relationship |
| direction, and one direction only, as in the case of | | | | If you are in an abusive relationship, take a hard and |
| intimate partner violence, then marital therapy is not | | | | fast look at the dynamics that you live. Ask yourself |
| indicated and will not alleviate the abuse dynamics. | | | | these two very important questions: Are there one |
| If there is one abuser and one victim and both | | | | or two victims? Are there one or two abusers |
| parties consistently operate from their respective | | | | ("control freaks") in your relationship? ...Your answers |
| position, marital therapy can serve as a platform to | | | | to these questions will guide you to the proper |
| exacerbate the battering dynamic...posing greater risk | | | | course of treatment for domestic abuse. |