20 Best Books For Couples Therapists (2023 Update)

A session by session guide book for mental health practitioners on how to conduct evidence-based couples counseling. the book guides the therapist step by step through twelve sessions, and covers everything from the very first client phone call all the way through termination.

Stop fighting and fall back in love, starting todayif you and your partner are struggling to communicate and connect, you are not alone. the couples therapy workbook for healing is a helpful toolkit containing expert advice and activities to help both of you cultivate stronger attachment bonds and greater relationship satisfaction through emotionally focused therapy. emotionally focused therapy (eft) is built on practical, concise steps for recognizing and disrupting negative behavior patterns. this couples therapy workbook uses those principles to help you develop the tools to approach your relationship with curiosity, open-mindedness, and readiness to speak, listen, and heal.the couples therapy workbook for healing includes: a three-part process–organized to follow the process of eft, this couples therapy workbook begins by identifying the distress in your relationship, then navigating the emotions that are causing it, and moving toward positive, long-term change. explore your relationship–this couples therapy workbook offers insightful questions, revealing exercises, self-assessments, and even case studies from other couples who have had success with these techniques. beyond eft–you'll also learn about the different ways people form attachments, the power of intimacy and vulnerability, and ways to savor your best moments.

The second edition of this essential and newly updated workbook is intended for use with couples who want to enhance their emotional connection or overcome their relationship distress. it closely follows the course of eft treatment and allows clinicians to easily integrate guided reading, reflection, and discussion into the therapeutic process. incorporating new developments in eft and decades of research in the field of attachment, veronica kallos-lilly and jennifer fitzgerald include chapters that explore concepts such as attachment bonds, the three cycles of relationship distress, how to make sense of emotions, relationship hurts and more. the workbook follows the familiar and accessible format of the first edition, read, reflect, and discuss, and weaves fresh, illustrative examples throughout, with updated content considering the impact of gender, culture, and sexual orientation on relationship dynamics. added reflections on these topics and an expanded section on sexuality dispels constraining popular myths and frees partners up to express themselves more openly. this book is essential reading for partners looking for helpful steps to improve the quality of their romantic relationships as well as marriage and family therapists, couple therapists and clinicians training in eft to use with their clients.

Couples therapy workbook is a series of guided questions to promote meaningful couple conversations and build ongoing, connected communication. the core of this unique guide is 30 guided conversations of the most critical relationship struggles. for each of the 30 topics, there is an introduction, goal-setting strategies and 10 scripted questions to ask each other – all presented in an easy-to-use mindful style.set in a weekly format over 30 days but can be tailored to any timeframe. designed to be used to couples, and also by therapists working with couples (bonus clinician prep included with each conversation). falling in love, friendship, caring, acceptance, empathy, emotional intimacy, rituals week 2 – who am i? romance, joy and gratitude, respect, apologies and forgiveness, challenges, relationship savings account, past, present & future, keeping connected

From the country’s leading couple therapist duo, a practical guide to what makes it all work.in 10 principles for doing effective couples therapy, two of the world’s leading couple researchers and therapists give readers an inside tour of what goes on inside the consulting rooms of their practice. they have been doing couples work for decades and still find it challenging and full of learning experiences. this book distills the knowledge they've gained over their years of practice into ten principles at the core of good couples work. each principle is illustrated with a clinically compiled case plus personal side-notes and storytelling. topics addressed include: – you know that you need to “treat the relationship,” but how are you supposed to get at something as elusive as “a relationship”? – how do you empathize with both clients if they have opposite points of view? later on, if they end up separating does that mean you’ve failed? are you only successful if you keep couples together? – compared to an individual client, a relationship is an entirely different animal. what should you do first? what should you look for? what questions should you ask? if clients give different answers, who should you believe? – what are you supposed to do with all the emotional and personal history that your clients stir up in you? – how can you make your work research-based? no one who works with couples will want to be without the insight, guidance, and strategies offered in this book.

Schema therapy for couples represents the first practitioner guide to detail effective schema therapy techniques in couple and relationship therapy. shows how the distinctive features of st make it ideal for addressing the cognitive and emotion-focused problems typical in couple relationships presents and integrates a series of innovative tools and interventions such as schema therapy with needs versus wants, mode cycle clash cards, limited re-parenting visualization, and chair work authored by an international team of experts in couples therapy and schema therapy

A nationally known couples therapist reveals the single root cause of all relationship problems—and offers revolutionary advice on what to do about it while most of us have moments of loving freely and openly, it is often hard to sustain this where it matters most—in our intimate relationships. if love is so great and powerful, why are human relationships so challenging and difficult? if love is the source of happiness and joy, why is it so hard to open to it fully and let it govern our lives? in this book, john welwood addresses these questions and shows us how to overcome the most fundamental obstacle that keeps us from experiencing love's full flowering in our lives.perfect love, imperfect relationships begins by showing how all our relational problems arise out of a universal ‘wound of the heart’ that affects not only our personal relationships but the quality of life in our world as a whole. this book takes the reader on a powerful journey of healing and transformation that involves learning to embrace these imperfections—within ourselves and within our relationships—as trail-markers along the path to great love. and it shows how our longing to be loved can magnetize the great love that will free us from looking to others to find ourselves.written with penetrating realism and a fresh, lyrical style that honors the subtlety and richness of our relationship to love itself, this revolutionary book offers profound and practical guidance for healing our lives as well as our embattled world.

You hear and read a lot about ways to improve your relationship. but if you've tried these without much success, you're not alone. many highly reactive couples–pairs that are quick to argue, anger, and blame–need more than just the run-of-the-mill relationship advice to solve their problems in love. when destructive emotions are at the heart of problems in your relationship, no amount of effective communication or intimacy building will fix what ails it. if you're part of a "high-conflict" couple, you need to get control of your emotions first, to stop making things worse, and only then work on building a better relationship. the high-conflict couple adapts the powerful techniques of dialectical behavior therapy (dbt) into skills you can use to tame out-of-control emotions that flare up in your relationship. using mindfulness and distress tolerance techniques, you'll learn how to deescalate angry situations before they have a chance to explode into destructive fights. other approaches will help you disclose your fears, longings, and other vulnerabilities to your partner and validate his or her experiences in return. you'll discover ways to manage problems with negotiation, not conflict, and to find true acceptance and closeness with the person you love the most. this book has been awarded the association for behavioral and cognitive therapies self-help seal of merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

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 interventions 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.

Therapeutic exercises to help couples nurture patience, forgiveness and humour. here is a workbook containing the very best exercises that any couple can undertake to help their relationship function optimally; exercises to foster understanding, patience, forgiveness, humour and resilience in the face of the many hurdles that invariably arise when you try to live with someone else for the long term. couples are guided to have particular conversations, analyse their feelings, explain parts of themselves to one another and undertake rituals that clear the air and help recover hope and passion. the goal is always to unblock channels of feeling and improve communication. not least, doing exercises together is – at points – simply a lot of fun.

The ultimate guide to marriage mentoring so you can feel confident in offering wisdom, encouragement, and practical help to couples who want to live out a love that lasts! drs. david olson–renowned marriage experts and founders of the two largest marriage support organizations, symbis and prepare/enrich–share what they have learned from decades of research involving more than five million couples. packed with practical and proven methods, data-driven techniques, and immediately usable strategies, helping couples includes: the secrets–and the science–behind couples who thrive with lasting love why romantic love is never enough, and what to do about it strategies to instantly help reduce conflicts and increase intimacy the game-changing boost that scientific assessment tools give couples at any age or stage four common myths about marriage and how to debunk them the distilled wisdom from hundreds of insightful surveys and studies how you can reduce a couple's chances of divorce by 31 percent the ultimate guide for coaches, counselors, and clergy who want to know what really works!

More than 1,000,000 copies sold! strengthen and deepen your relationships with revelatory practical exercises, seven profound conversations, and sage advice from "the best couple's therapist in the world" (john gottman, ph – d, bestselling author) are you looking to enrich a healthy relationship, revitalize a tired one, or rescue one gone awry? enter dr. sue johnson, developer of emotionally focused couple therapy and "the most original contributor to couple's therapy to come along in the last thirty years," according to dr. william j. doherty, ph – d. johnson shares her groundbreaking and remarkably successful program for creating stronger, more secure relationships. the message of hold me tight is simple: forget about learning how to argue better, analyzing your early childhood, making grand romantic gestures, or experimenting with new sexual positions. instead, get to the emotional underpinnings of your relationship by recognizing that you are emotionally attached to and dependent on your partner in much the same way that a child is on a parent for nurturing, soothing, and protection. johnson teaches that the way to enhance or save a relationship is to be open, attuned, and responsive to each other and to reestablish emotional connection. with this in mind, she focuses on key moments in a relationship and uses them as touch points for seven healing conversations, including: recognizing the demon dialogues – finding the raw spots – revisiting a rocky moment – forgiving injuries – keeping your love alive these conversations give you insight into the defining moments in your relationship and guide you in reshaping these moments to create a secure and lasting bond. through stories from dr. johnson's practice, illuminating advice, and practical exercises, you will learn how to nurture, protect, and grow your relationship, ensuring a lifetime of love.

A companion workbook to dr. sue johnson's million-copy bestseller hold me tight, packed with exercises, conversation prompts, and activities to help couples strengthen their bond, deepen their intimacy, and cultivate a lifetime of love.

Now in its second edition, foundations of couples, marriage, and family counseling delivers a comprehensive treatment of current theory, research, and real-life practice in family therapy. the text is fully aligned with the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs (cacrep) and commission on accreditation for marriage and family therapy education (coamfte). it covers foundational and advanced topics of critical importance to student counselors and therapists seeking to work in family settings, including sexuality, trauma, divorce, domestic violence, addictions, filial play therapy, and the positioning of culture and context in family therapy. – the new edition includes updated content in each chapter and entirely new chapters on assessments and helping families mitigate, adapt, and transition during crisis. – this important book:covers the basic knowledge and skills essential to students and practitioners of couples and family therapy – details the history, concepts, and techniques associated with crucial theories, and includes a new chapter on the most up to date assessment strategies – tackles contemporary issues and interventions in trauma, divorce, domestic violence, sexuality, and more – at once comprehensive and concise, the second edition of foundations of couples, marriage, and family counseling offers readers a guide to the complex and interconnected concepts required to support a full understanding of couples and family therapy.

Build a stronger relationship in just 8 weeks – all relationships face challenges sometimes. no matter how much you love each other or how long you've been together, learning how to work through conflict is an ongoing process. this workbook shows you how to do it more effectively and respectfully, so you can create a healthy foundation of communication and enjoy each other even more. – what sets this book apart from other couples therapy workbooks: a guided format–stay motivated with weekly advice and activities that are simple to do and easy to understand, on a manageable 8-week timeline. – a holistic approach–focus on a different theme each week: communication, intimacy, conflict, money matters, social styles, relationship patterns, values, and love languages. – proven strategies–find tips and techniques written by an expert and rooted in real therapy treatments to repair and strengthen your relationship. – pick up this couple's workbook today and create a better future together.

Have you and your partner been having difficulties that make it hard to get the most out of the time that you're spending together? does it seem that you're largely unable to have a relaxing and loving relationship with your partner? having troubles with conflict resolution, having troubles with understanding the viewpoint and difficulties of your partner, and having difficulty with intimacy can make everything about a relationship feel like it might not be worth the trouble. couples' therapy is something you've undoubtedly heard about from television, movies, and books. many people think that attending couples' therapy is a signal that the relationship is already over, that there is no turning back and that, if you're having enough trouble to warrant therapy, that there is no viability to the relationship. couples' therapy workbook is here to show you that that is not true. couples can grapple with a lot of difficulties when getting a feel for how to work and get along with one another to create a harmonious life together. the great news is that there is nothing wrong with having trouble with that. there are solutions that can be reached through effective communication, through enhanced intimacy, and through an understanding of one another's goals, concerns, difficulties, and strengths. loving one another is easy but being on the same page with one another can help you to reach your goals and to encourage one another to have the healthiest, most beneficial life possible. showing your love through effective communication and intimacy is the most effective way possible for you to hold onto the person who makes you happiest in life. couples' therapy and the exercises that come along with it can help you to reach that common ground of understanding, can help you to get your goals straight with one another and can help you to work together to achieve them. intimacy is something that can often get lost in the fray of a relationship. when you're both working so hard to keep one another happy without knowing where the problems lay, intimacy can seem to take a back seat or can seem like it's secondary to everything else that's going on. in couples' therapy workbook, you will find exercises and information that will help you to understand your partner, to reach a mutual understanding with your partner, and to behave in a way that truly shows that you are partners in life, in communication, in intimacy, in love, and in mutual prosperity in life. all these things and more are possible, and this book will show you exactly what you need to do. that's why this book will bring you: the reasons and mechanisms behind your struggles with communication the reasons why your lack of communication is controlling you and not vice versa, and how to change that clinically proven techniques to get you through daily difficulties the tools to live a life free of conflict and attrition better control over your communication with your partner, in spite of the things that may go wrong around you what it means to cultivate and strengthen intimacy and meaningful communication with your partner the reasons and mechanisms behind your struggles with intimacy so much more surely my relationship is bad enough that my partner and i should call it quits even if your relationship has left you feeling like there is no hope for you and your partner, the techniques and information in this book can bring your relationship back to life. experience the excitement about your mutual goals and desires again, experience conflict resolution and effective communication without the fear and pressure. download this book today and take control of your relationship's future. click "buy now" to take back your life together!

Turn your relationship into a love story that lasts by improving communication, strengthening your bond, and creating the trust that’s essential in relationships. – couples therapy isn’t just for failing relationships. – even if you trust your partner to be faithful, loving, and committed, you can still benefit from a trust tune-up. – even if you appreciate your partner and they appreciate you, you can still benefit from reconnecting every now and then. – even if you don’t think you need couples therapy, you can benefit from everything it has to teach you, from staying strong when times get tough to savoring the joyful moments together. – relationships need to be nurtured, and couples therapy can help you figure out what your unique relationship needs to thrive. – maybe you’ve thought about therapy for couples in the past, but you didn’t think it would work for you. maybe you didn’t want to share your troubles with a total stranger. – that’s where this book comes in. – in addition, you’ll discover:research-backed advice from a professional relationship counselor – how external influences can affect your relationship and how to defend against them – worksheets to help you through the relationship exercises – questions to ask your partner to increase communication – apps and tools to help you through your couples therapy journey – and much, much more! as a bonus, you’ll also learn about the famous “love languages” and how you can use them to create a stronger bond. – forget what you’ve thought about couples therapy in the past, and focus on the present to build a better relationship for the future. – to become a more loving partner and to receive unconditional, trusting love in return, click “add to cart.”

This classic text is an indispensable resource for beginning couples therapists: a concise, practical guide to moving from theory and content to process and the therapist's use of self.

This classic text is an indispensable resource for beginning couples therapists: a concise, practical guide to moving from theory and content to process and the therapist's use of self.

From a relationship of ignorance and conflict to awareness and fulfillmentin buddhist psychology, it is said that the root of all pain is ignorance. information contained in this book is the distillation of over forty-seven years work as a marriage and family therapist.