When couples come to their first therapy session, a primary goal for me is to make the therapy room a safe place, but this is not always easy. One factor that makes it difficult is that partners have not yet learned to tolerate or modulate difficult feelings (Wallin, 2007). Because this is so, the partner will stew over what has been said during session all week.
When the couple has not agreed to allow the therapy session to be the safe place, the remainder of the week will be filled with microaggressions. All week, one partner will make comments that will cut the other person's heart and whittle away at their self-esteem. This means that when the couple comes in for session, one or both will refuse to talk because there will be hell to pay when they return home and more often than not, it will start as soon as the car door is shut.
If you are in the Dothan, Alabama area, and in need of more support, whether individual, Couple or family, give us a call to set up an appointment.
Until next Time.
Wallin, David J. Attachment in Psychotherapy. Guilford Publications.
Comments