Assessing Couples’ Experiences
Evaluate Couples’ Readiness for Treatment
1. Identify some of the major reasons that people seek relationship therapy. (Consider this from the readings, but also reflect on your own perspectives.)
List some of the reasons people may resist coming to therapy for relationship issues
2. Define the SRCQ and the Marital Satisfaction Inventory, describe what they are measuring, and then discuss the pros and cons of using these formal assessments.
3. Consider how you might approach an understanding of the couples’ background and readiness if you do not utilize formal assessments. What are some ways (techniques) that you might use to approach informally assessing partners’ experiences?
4. Reflect on the following scenario, and then explain how you feel you might tackle this challenge:
Fred and Chris come in for a first session. Fred monopolizes the conversation and shares with you that there have been moments of infidelity – where they have caught Chris lying about relationships they have outside of their agreed-upon monogamous relationship. Chris only shares that they do not feel guilty at all and that they felt “forced” to come to therapy. Chris states that the reason for the infidelities was because Fred was controlling and that they were not satisfied with their sex life. Despite pushing, you feel Chris will not engage in therapy; they also seem to blow off that they have any fault in the challenges. On the other hand, Fred is self-aware and willing to look at changes within themselves to make the relationship shift. When you ask the couple if they have considered separation, Chris seems ambivalent, and Fred erupts in tears. What therapeutic challenges do you anticipate? What is your next step with this couple? (Hint: There is no right or wrong answer, but consider the role of theory, ethics, and your values in your discussion on the direction.)
