Background on the Life Cycle of a Typical Couple
In this presentation, I will be discussing how to lead an open-ended support group for couples who are experiencing difficulties in their relationship after the arrival of their first child. Before delving into the complexity of working with couples in group psychotherapy settings, it is important to understand the unique and dynamic challenges that are confronted by couples during their journeyùthe life cycle of couples. Their movement from the initial courtship period to old age often involves overcoming difficulties with various transitions so that they can progress successfully from one stage to the next. Although the different stages of the life cycle of a couple may vary according to socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, the following discussion provides an overall framework for highlighting the distinctive characteristics of each stage and the transitions. For the purposes of this discussion, a middle class family in the contemporary Western society will be used to represent the typical couple (Haley, 1973; Peterson, 1995a).
During the first phase of the cycle, the courtship period, young adults who have established their individual sense of identity begin forge relationships with peers outside of their family. At some point, they will form an intimate relationship with potential life-time partners. Based on the above description, it is evident that young adults' ability to form successful intimate relationships with others is inextricably interwoven with their relationships with their original families. For young adults who have strong ties with their families of origin, this period may be characterized by tremendous tension as they try to reconcile conflicting expectations of the family with those of the outside world. Young adults are more likely to succeed in establishing a strong relationship with their partners only when they are liberated from the roles ...