The Heart of Couple Therapy ─ Knowing What to Do and How to Do It

Grounded in a deep understanding of what makes intimate relationships succeed, this book provides concrete guidelines for addressing the complexities of real-world clinical practice with couples. Leading couple therapist Ellen Wachtel describes the principles of therapeutic intervention that motivate couples to alter entrenched patterns, build on strengths, and navigate the “legacy” issues that each person brings to the relationship. She illuminates the often unrecognized choices that therapists face throughout the session and deftly explicates their implications. The epilogue by Paul Wachtel situates the author's pragmatic approach in the broader context of contemporary psychotherapy theory and research.

Ellen F. Wachtel, PhD, JD, is on the adjunct faculty of the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York. For many years Dr. Wachtel worked with Physicians for Human Rights and HealthRight International doing evaluations of people who were seeking political asylum, and she has mentored other psychologists volunteering with these organizations. She is the author of several books for professionals and the general public and gives workshops on couples and families both in the United States and internationally.?