Couples therapy is a form of counseling that can help couples to improve their relationship. While there are many different types of couples therapy, most research has found that some methods are more effective than others. This article will explore the most researched and effective couples therapies based on scientific studies published in peer-reviewed journals.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)
EFT is a technique that helps couples recognize and express their feelings. EFT focuses on the emotions of the couple, not the behavior. This method helps couples build a strong emotional connection by letting them talk openly about how they feel toward each other. It also teaches them how to make their relationship stronger by communicating in different ways.
EFT is based on studies that show how important it is for couples to understand each other’s emotions better so they can build a strong bond between them.
All couples are different, but they all have one thing in common: the desire to have a happy and healthy relationship. To achieve this goal, partners need to understand what makes each other happy or sad. They also need to be able to express their feelings in an appropriate way that doesn’t hurt their partner’s feelings.
Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT)
Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) is a short-term therapy that focuses on changing behavior, rather than feelings. BCT is based on the idea that people learn from their environment and can be motivated to change when they see how their behaviors affect those around them, including their significant others.
Couples are taught how to solve problems through communication, as well as identify problems early on so they’re less likely to escalate into full-blown conflicts later down the line.
BCT focuses on teaching couples skills that will help improve communication, conflict resolution, and relationship satisfaction. It’s a form of CBT that uses behavioral techniques to help alleviate symptoms such as depression or anxiety in both partners.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
The Gottman Method Couples Therapy is a type of therapy that was developed by John Gottman, Ph.D. This approach to couples counseling is based on the idea that couples are not broken and need to be fixed, but rather they are stuck in a negative pattern of interaction.
The Gottman Method uses four basic principles:
- Observing and describing emotions accurately
- Accepting your partner’s feelings
- Validating your partner’s feelings
- Changing negative behaviors that hurt the relationship
The focus of the therapy is on helping couples learn how to change their negative patterns of interaction into positive ones. This can be done by learning how to manage conflicts healthily, improving communication skills, and building trust in the relationship.
Systems Theory
Systems theory is a way of looking at the world in terms of patterns and patterns of relationships. It’s also a useful way to understand how individual problems relate to larger issues, like the family or society as a whole.
Systems theory is often used in family therapy, but it can be applied to couples as well. To help you understand how this works, here is an example:
If your partner has depression and you feel neglected because they’re not spending time with you or participating in your favorite activities anymore, there may be an underlying problem that needs attention—like an imbalance in your relationship where one person takes on more responsibility than their partner does (like taking care of kids while their wife goes back to work). Or maybe one person always gets upset if they see evidence that their spouse likes another person more than them (a “jealousy” issue). In these cases, it might make sense for both partners to see a therapist who specializes in couples therapy instead.
Narrative-Based Couples Counseling
Narrative-Based Couples Counseling is a type of couple therapy that focuses on the stories that people tell about themselves and their relationships. Narrative-Based Couples Counseling is based on the idea that people make sense of their lives through the stories they tell about themselves and their relationships. It encourages couples to explore their narratives and gain insight into how they might be contributing to problems in their relationship.
The therapist helps couples to identify the themes in their stories, both individually and as a couple. The therapist then asks them to consider how those themes may be contributing to problems in their relationship.
The Solution-Focused Therapy Approach
Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) is a form of brief therapy that focuses on the present and future rather than on the past. SFT is a client-centered approach that encourages clients to actively participate in the therapy process.
In Solution-Focused Therapy, you will learn skills for resolving your issues by focusing on solutions rather than problems. During this process, you will be encouraged to discover what you need and want from life, so that you can live more fulfilling lives with your partner or spouse.
Cognitive-Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT)
Cognitive-behavioral couples therapy (CBCT) is a specific type of couples therapy that focuses on how the thoughts and behaviors of both partners affect the marriage. The therapist teaches each person healthy ways to communicate with one another, as well as how to resolve conflicts in productive ways. CBCT is based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a type of psychotherapy that helps people change their behavior by changing the way they think about things. By changing how you think about your marriage, you can improve your relationship.
In cognitive-behavioral couples therapy, both partners work together with a therapist to learn healthy ways of thinking about their marriage and how to solve problems in positive ways. The therapist teaches each person how to communicate effectively, as well as how to resolve conflicts without fighting or blaming one another. CBCT is based on the idea that changing your thoughts can change your behavior and improve your relationship with your spouse.
Structural Family Therapy
Structural Family Therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the structure of the family system and how it contributes to patterns of communication, conflict, and problem-solving. The structural family therapist views problems as existing in the relationship between members rather than within individual members themselves. This approach addresses issues of control within families by helping parents learn how to manage power more effectively so that children learn how to regulate their behavior without being overwhelmed with demands from others.
Structural family therapy is based on the idea that the family system is a dynamic system in which all members influence one another. Each individual’s behaviors are seen as an attempt at maintaining equilibrium in an otherwise unstable situation; however, because each person has their unique way of managing stressors (a coping style), these attempts may cause tension among other family members or perpetuate negative patterns over time. In this way, structural therapy seeks not only to identify current problems but also to help clients identify factors underlying them so they can change destructive behaviors and improve relationships overall.
Choice Theory – Reality Therapy (CT/RT)
Choice theory-reality therapy (CT/RT) is a type of behavior therapy that was developed by William Glasser, who is considered to be one of the most influential psychiatrists in history.
CT/RT emphasizes the importance of choice in changing your behavior. It assumes that people can change their behavior by making choices, which then become habits. The goal of this type of therapy is for both partners to learn how to make better choices and therefore have better relationships with each other.
The therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected. It focuses on changing one’s thinking patterns so that they can lead to more positive emotions and behaviors.
Conclusion
So, which couples therapy is the best? Well, it depends on what you’re looking for. If you want to take a step back from your relationship and look at it as a whole then systems theory might be best for you. If you want something that focuses more on improving communication between partners than anything else then EFT or CBCT could be right up your alley. However, if you’re looking for something more hands-on that directly addresses individual problems within each partner then Gottman Method may be ideal!
