Therapy of married couples can be defined as psychotherapy centered on  the psycho-dynamics and behavior of two persons who are married.

The treatment of couples is addressed to the disturbed relationship of the couple and as well as their neurosis. The therapy is focused on the marital problems (negative communication, unrealistic expectations, lack of communication , etc). Those problems may cause a deterioration clinically significant on the individual or family activity, or the appearance of symptoms in one or both spouses.

That psychotherapy can improve the marriage, as well as each individual. The therapy of married couples goes beyond “marriage counseling“.

There are seven commonly used forms of treatment of married couples:

1.- Therapy of husband and wife in successions.

2.- Simultaneous treatment of both spouses by the same therapist in separate sessions.

3- Simultaneous treatment of both spouses in joint sessions.

4.- Therapy conducted by two psychotherapists, each of whom sees one spouse.

5.- Four-way sessions in which each spouse has a separate analyst, and at regular periods the two analyst and the two patients have joint sessions.

6.- Groups composed of couples with one therapist and/or with co-therapist.

7.- Family therapy oriented mainly toward the parenteral relationship rather than toward the child.

(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)