Couples Therapy Flashcards
(3 cards)
Couples Therapy - Multiple Relationships
Because I’ve been working with you individually, it wouldn’t be ethically appropriate for me to also work with you and your partner together.
Why: That would mean I’d be taking on two different roles with you—first as your individual therapist, and then as a joint therapist with your partner. This kind of dual relationship is considered unethical because it can lead to confusion about where my responsibilities lie, and it could make it harder for you to feel that this space is just for your support. Dual roles can also impact trust and blur the purpose of therapy, which I want to protect for your benefit.
Couples Therapy - Objectivity & Fairness
To ensure that both people feel equally supported in couples work, it’s essential that the therapist enters without prior alliances.
Why: This is because I would have pre-existing knowledge, empathy, or alignment with you that could unintentionally bias my responses, making your partner feel unheard, mistrustful, or unsafe in the therapeutic space. If one partner perceives the therapist as taking sides, the therapy becomes unbalanced, which undermines trust and can prevent effective relational change.
Couples Therapy - Boundaries
My role here is as your individual therapist, and that role needs to remain consistent to protect the effectiveness of our work.
Why: Blurring roles can compromise the therapeutic structure, making it unclear whose needs are being prioritised and damaging the integrity of the therapeutic contract.
