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The Challenge of Creating Dialogical Space for Both Partners in Couple Therapy
Author(s) -
Rober Peter
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.297
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1467-8438
pISSN - 0814-723X
DOI - 10.1002/anzf.1090
Subject(s) - conversation , psychology , psychotherapist , therapeutic relationship , family therapy , dialogical self , session (web analytics) , marital therapy , pace , space (punctuation) , social psychology , epistemology , computer science , communication , philosophy , geodesy , world wide web , geography , operating system
Dialogue in marital and family therapy ( MFT ) is by definition a multi‐actor dialogue. This raises important challenges for therapists since the conversation is often tension filled and can have dramatic real life consequences for family members. In this paper I focus on the challenges presented in working with couples. In the first part of the paper I develop a theoretical frame, which relies on the MFT literature on the therapeutic relationship as well as on the discussion in the field around the therapeutic relationship and the concept of not knowing. I question the therapeutic effectiveness of the therapist's egalitarian intentions and the idealistic view of the naturally healing dialogue implicit in not knowing. I especially highlight the validity of some of the concepts of Mikhail Bakhtin (e.g., addressivity, responsivity) to address the specific complexities of the MFT encounter. Then I present a case study, which is limited to a microanalysis of the first minutes of a first session of a marital therapy. In the third part of the paper I discuss what I have learned from the case study against the background of some of the central ideas developed in the first part. This leads to the conclusion that the marital and family therapist cannot escape the uncomfortable position of being responsible to find ways to actively contribute to a helpful dialogue with clients; a dialogue that is not a natural given, but rather a project that needs the therapist's constant consideration and care.