t of the exchange that literally gives the process value, for both client and therapist.
Finally, I have considered the destructive possibilities of being used as a weapon when I am not present, which Weeks and Treat (2001) address at the end of their chapter (pp. 31-32). This is especially important to establish clearly at the start of therapy, since the ultimate purpose of the process is to improve and enrich the coupleÆs day-to-day lives. If I can help them to learn how to take what they learn in therapy home with them, I will be doing my job, and how they quote me in their everyday exchanges can be critical.
Starting the therapeutic process off effectively is essential. Reading this chapter in particular has made me aware of the importance of laying solid groundwork. Although every client and every relationship is unique, I believe it would be useful to start each relationship with an established routine, a checklist of specific information that I will cover with each client, followed up with a one or two page information sheet outlining my expectations for the process. This orientation might also start with a discussion with clients about what they expect of me, in order to establish clearly what we are seeking to accomplish.
QUESTION #2 Gerald R. Weeks and Stephen R. Treat (2001) write, "The marital therapist who is balanced in approach asks both partners to be accountable, confronts both with relatively equal intensity, and finds ways to be supportive and nurturing of each personö(p. 33). They outline a number of different ways to achieve such balance; three in particular strike me as especially useful in working with couples.
The first is the use of inclusive language (pp. 39-40). Since the focus of couples therapy is the relationship between two individuals, it is essential to include both equally in the discussion. The natural human tendency is to feel that oneÆs own perspective has the greatest vali...