Internationell forskning visar att samtliga etablerade psykoterapier är likvärdigt effektiva och att utfallet påverkas av såväl egenskaper hos terapeut samt klient som av relationen dem emellan. Syftet med studien var att identifiera innebörden i fenomenet allians i systemisk familjeterapi och studien har genomförts med fyra familjeterapeuter i en semistrukturerad fokusgrupp. Studien visade att allians i familjeterapi är ett samspelsfält inkluderande två relaterandenivåer såsom ram och interaktion. De två nivåerna omfattade aspekterna förtrogenhet, asymmetri, relatera till flera, samförstånd, närvaro och berördhet. I resultatet visades också att allians i systemisk familjeterapi handlar om flera allianser mellan terapeut och klienter i olika system. Frågan som har väckts i studien rör om det är relevant att använda begreppet allians i familjeterapi på klientsystem utöver en individ? Förslag till fortsatt forskning är att studera fenomenet allians i familjeterapi ur ett intersubjektivt perspektiv. / International research shows that all established psychotherapy is equally effective and that the outcome is influenced by capacities of the therapist and client as well as the relationship between them. The aim of this study was to identify meaning to the phenomenon of alliance in family therapy and the study was carried out with four family therapists in a semi-structured focus-group. The study showed that alliance in family therapy is an interplay field including two relation levels such as frame and interaction. The two levels comprised the aspects of familiarity, asymmetry, relation to several, consensus, presence and affectedness. The result also showed that alliance in family therapy is about several alliances between therapist and client in different systems. The question raised in the study deals with the relevance to use the concept alliance in family therapy on client systems beyond an individual? Suggestions for continued research are to study the phenomenon of alliance in family therapy from an intersubjective perspective.

Este trabalho objetivou conhecer o processo de busca e a clientela atendida em terapia de casal e família. Para tanto, realizaram-se dois estudos. Inicialmente, através de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, foram identificados seis fatores associados à busca pelas terapias de casal e família: fatores pessoais, relacionais, culturais, de gênero, estratégias anteriores de ajuda e tipo de problema. Posteriormente, através de um estudo empírico, a clientela atendida em terapia familiar em uma clínica-escola de Porto Alegre (RS) foi caracterizada. Foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas com 41 adultos encaminhados para terapia familiar, nas quais foram investigadas variáveis sociodemográficas e familiares, o processo de busca de ajuda, o problema apresentado, tentativas anteriores de ajuda utilizadas e expectativas sobre o tratamento. Os resultados permitem reflexões sobre a prática clínica com famílias em clínicas-escola, especialmente a respeito do envolvimento dos clientes no processo terapêutico e à transição da queixa para a demanda desde o período de avaliação inicial. / This research aimed to investigate the help seeking process and the clients attended in couples and family therapy. To achieve this objective, two studies were realized. First, a systematic literature review identified six factors associated with the search for couples and family therapy: personal factors, relationship factors, gender, cultural aspects, prior sources of help and type of problem. After that, a second study characterized the clients attended in family therapy in a school clinic located in Porto Alegre (RS). Structured interviews with 41 adults referred for family therapy were realized. Sociodemographic and familial variables, the search for help process, the main problem, the prior sources of help and the expectations about the treatment were investigated. These results allows reflections about family therapy practice in school clinics, especially about the involvement of the clients on therapeutic process and the transition from the first complaint to the real demand since evaluation period.

O objetivo desta pesquisa é esclarecer uma possibilidade de atendimento fenomenológico existencial direcionado a casais. Para isso, questiona a prática do próprio autor, dando a ver seu modo de ser psicólogo junto a casais. Ao introduzir a pergunta norteadora como pode ser um atendimento fenomenológico existencial com casais, a pesquisa revela três pontos fundamentais aos quais se debruça para aprofundar: 1- o horizonte histórico no qual o tema tem sido apresentado e questionado, permitindo-lhe que se pergunte, nesta pesquisa, por uma possibilidade outra de atendimento de casal; 2- O modo específico desta possibilidade pela perspectiva fenomenológica existencial, permitindo que a pesquisa retome o percurso do autor junto à fenomenologia existencial, esclarecendo-a como seu modo de compreensão do existir humano, modo esse que marca a pesquisa em sua compreensão do fenômeno pesquisado; 3- a quem se destina o atendimento: o casal. Deste modo, a pesquisa busca considerar e suspender concepções previamente determinantes sobre casal, buscando uma descrição fundada na possibilidade de realização do existir. A partir do esclarecimento destes três pontos a pesquisa pode voltar-se para a pergunta norteadora, em um diálogo do autor com sua prática e com outros autores que se dedicam ao tema, para revelar outra possibilidade de ação psicológica autoral: atendimento fenomenológico existencial com casais / The aim of this research is to clarify a possibility of existential phenomenological therapy towards couples. To do so, the research examines the authors practices, revealing he´s way of being psychologist with couples. After introducing the guiding question what is it like an existential phenomenological therapy with couples?, the research reveals three key points to which it looks for deepening: 1- the historical horizon in which the theme has being introduced and questioned, allowing it to be questioned in this research for another possibility of couples therapy; 2- The specific way of this possibility, an existential phenomenological perspective, so the research resume the author´s course in existential phenomenology, clarifying it as he´s understanding of human existence, as well as clarifying it as the research´s way of understanding the researched phenomenon; 3- to whom the therapy is destined: the couple. Thus, the research pursues considering and suspending previously determinant conceptions about couples, searching for a description founded in the human possibility of existence. From the clarifying of those three points the research could look to the guiding question, towards a dialog between the author and he´s practice and between the author and other couple therapy authors, to reveal another possibility of psychological action: existential phenomenological therapy with couples

Narrative Therapy draws on an understanding of how discourse acts to construct, reproduce and deconstruct power relationships. Therapy is focussed on collaborating with clients in a process of re-authoring their self-stories by critically evaluating the positions made available to them in relation to dominant discourses. Whilst there is a large body of theoretical knowledge on post-structuralism and psychotherapy, very few discourse analyses of psychotherapy sessions have been published. Thus, though post-structuralist therapeutic approaches are theoretically well supported, there is an identified gap in the literature on the therapeutic processes that occur within practice. This research aims to further explore these therapeutic processes, focussing specifically on subject positioning with relation to gender in Narrative Couple Therapy, and the influence of the therapist thereupon. It is based on the analysis of a video of a Michael White Narrative Couple Therapy session, "The Best of Friends." Using discourse analysis as a methodological approach, the analysis seeks first to identify talk that signifies discourses of gender difference, and then to explore how the subjects (therapist and clients) are positioned in relation to these discourses. The analysis focuses on the therapist's activities to investigate the influence of his interactions with the partners on how they are positioned or position themselves within stories of gender difference. The analysis shows that, by working reflexively, transparently and collaboratively with the partners, the therapist assists to render power, restrictive discourses, and alternate positions visible to the clients. The therapist resists being drawn into dominant therapy discourses of expert and patient, and instead continuously recognises the knowledges and expertise that the clients bring to the therapy context. He then works closely with the clients to thicken alternative representations of self.

Este trabalho objetivou conhecer o processo de busca e a clientela atendida em terapia de casal e família. Para tanto, realizaram-se dois estudos. Inicialmente, através de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, foram identificados seis fatores associados à busca pelas terapias de casal e família: fatores pessoais, relacionais, culturais, de gênero, estratégias anteriores de ajuda e tipo de problema. Posteriormente, através de um estudo empírico, a clientela atendida em terapia familiar em uma clínica-escola de Porto Alegre (RS) foi caracterizada. Foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas com 41 adultos encaminhados para terapia familiar, nas quais foram investigadas variáveis sociodemográficas e familiares, o processo de busca de ajuda, o problema apresentado, tentativas anteriores de ajuda utilizadas e expectativas sobre o tratamento. Os resultados permitem reflexões sobre a prática clínica com famílias em clínicas-escola, especialmente a respeito do envolvimento dos clientes no processo terapêutico e à transição da queixa para a demanda desde o período de avaliação inicial. / This research aimed to investigate the help seeking process and the clients attended in couples and family therapy. To achieve this objective, two studies were realized. First, a systematic literature review identified six factors associated with the search for couples and family therapy: personal factors, relationship factors, gender, cultural aspects, prior sources of help and type of problem. After that, a second study characterized the clients attended in family therapy in a school clinic located in Porto Alegre (RS). Structured interviews with 41 adults referred for family therapy were realized. Sociodemographic and familial variables, the search for help process, the main problem, the prior sources of help and the expectations about the treatment were investigated. These results allows reflections about family therapy practice in school clinics, especially about the involvement of the clients on therapeutic process and the transition from the first complaint to the real demand since evaluation period.

Pornography use has been reported to have harmful effects on relationships and individuals. However, research on effective treatment for problematic pornography use (PPU) is limited. This manuscript reviews the previous treatment literature for PPU and highlights the gaps that need further study. Then, I discuss how I performed a qualitative study of 11 couples who had successfully been treated for PPU in order to analyze the key mechanisms of change that were employed in their recovery process and address the missing gaps in this field of research. The five major emerging themes from this study are Catalysts for Recovery, Foundation of Support for Recovery, The Work of Recovery, Healing Perspective of Recovery and Meaning Making, and Hindrances and Recovery Cautions (see figure in Appendix E). These themes are outlined with associated subthemes and representative quotes. Key implications for clinicians and future research are discussed.

Introduktion: Aktivitetsbalans är ett vanligt begrepp inom arbetsterapi. Det betyder att man har en jämn fördelning mellan det man vill göra och det man måste göra. I examensarbetet ställer sig författarna frågan om det går att arbeta med en persons aktivitetsbalans utan att inkludera partnerns aktivitetsbalans. Familjerådgivarna är vana vid att arbeta med par som helhet, därför vill författarnata reda på hur de arbetar med aktivitetsbalans utifrån sin yrkeskompetens. Syfte: Studiens syfte var att belysa hur familjerådgivare arbetar med aktivitetsbalans tillsammans med par. Metod: Studiens design är deskriptiv med induktiv ansats. Ett avsiktligt – typiskt urval samt snöbollsurval användes vid sökningar efter familjerådgivare på kommunala och kyrkliga hemsidor. Informanterna bestod av både kvinnor och män spridda över hela landet med yrkeserfarenhet på 20–40 år. Semistrukturerade intervjuer användes för datainsamlingen vilka transkriberades och analyserades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Kategorierna Tillsammans identifieras parens aktivitetsbalans, Med verktyg och metod och Med förändring och förnyelse identifierades tillsammans med sex underkategorier. Slutsats: Genom att kombinera arbetsterapeutiska evidensbaserade instrument med familjerådgivningens samtalsrådgivning tror författarna att par med aktivitetsbalansproblem skulle få bättre resultat. / Title: Occupational balance for couples: an interview study with family counselers Introduction: Occupational balance is a concept in occupational therapy, meaningyou have an even distribution between what you want to do and what you need to do. The authors ask themselves the question whether it is possible to work with a person's occupational balance without including the partner's occupational balance. Family counselors is used to working with couples as a whole, that’s why the authors want to find out how they work with occupational balance based on their professional competence. Aim: The aim of the thesis was to highlight how family counselers work with occupational balance together with couples. Method: The study design is descriptive with an inductive approach. A purposive sampling – typical selection and snow ball sampling was used when searching for family counselors on municipal and church websites. The informants were both women and men from all over Sweden and with professional experience of 20–40 years. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection and were transcribed and analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Results: The categories The couples occupational balance is identified together, With tools and method and With change and renewal were identified together with six subcategories. Conclusions: By combining occupational evidence-based instruments with family counseling, the authors believe that couples with activity balance problems would have better outcomes.

No description available.

Despite a call by researchers for estimates of the treatment clinical and cost effectiveness for relational problems, very little has been done to answer this call. The present study is an examination of actual treatment costs and recidivism rates for patients treated for a relational problem (either in individual or conjoint therapy sessions) in the CIGNA network. Despite the fact that this study compares treatment provider cost-effectiveness for treating relational problems, analyses do not control for average amounts paid by provider license type. Policymakers and third-party payers may use such clinical-effectiveness and cost-effectiveness data to make decisions regarding treatment of relational problems and funding allocation. The present study is also the first to compare the costs of couples therapy versus family therapy for relational problems.

This is a longitudinal couples therapy process study using coded data from eleven couples to identify which therapist behaviors (warmth, listener responsiveness, communication, dominance) influenced positive couples exchanges (warmth and listener responsiveness) over time in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). A mixed effects model was used to examine within- and between-individual variability. Men and women were modeled separately. A series of two-level multilevel models of change were examined, where Time is Level 1 and Individual is Level 2. Results indicated no significant relationship between variables of therapist warmth, listener responsiveness, communication, and dominance with couple listener responsiveness. Where client warmth was an outcome variable, the only significant relationship was between therapist warmth toward husband and husband warmth toward wife. Findings demonstrated that 62.9% of the variance in husband warmth toward wife was accounted for by therapist warmth to husband across time in therapy. Specifically, therapist warmth toward husband was significantly and positively related to husband warmth toward wife over time in therapy. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.