Assignment 3:
Critical Evaluation of the Differences Between an Individual and
a Couple’s Session
Sumathi Sankaran
B1902093
MC-610 – Marital and Family Counseling
Ms. Bawany Chinapan
Masters in Counselling
Department of Psychology
Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Education, and Languages
HELP University
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Critically Evaluate the Differences Between an Individual Session and a
Couple’s Session
In this academic paper the author will firstly explain about the differences in
between the individual and the couple seeking therapeutic session by providing the
definition. From here the author will build on the other differences that can be seen
between these two sessions.
Introduction & Definition
The most obvious differences between the individual counseling and couples
counseling are the number of people involved in the session. For Individual
counseling the session is between the client and the therapist. On the other hand for
the couple’s counseling the therapist will be having two people in the session.
Couples here may also mean couples in relationship, married, gay etc.
Individual Counseling is the therapy “of psychological problems that is
conducted on a one-to-one basis. Also called dyadic therapy; individual
psychotherapy” ("APA dictionary of psychology," n.d.). Where the therapist sees only
one person during the session, plan and prepare the session to address the needs of the
single client’s needs that can alleviate the issues the client is facing.
“Marriage counseling, also called couples therapy, is a type of psychotherapy.
Marriage counseling helps couples of all types recognize and resolve conflicts and
improve their relationships” ("Marriage counseling," 2019). Through this counseling
the clients can come up with an informed decision whether the marriage is worth
saving or it is the best to leave and go separate ways. Note to be taken is that there are
instances where the couple’s therapist meet the couples individually when either one
are not able to reveal or discuss certain matters with their partners around.
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The differences in focus of therapy
The characteristic in the therapeutic relationship may vary depending on the
way it is done or method used. Acceptance of the situation and how to grow from
there will be the main focus in most of the therapy As in individual therapy, the main
area of focus will be on building the one-to-one relationship with the therapist. The
other area of focus will be to decrease the symptoms, to do self-reflections on
emotions or behaviour and to focus on self-development. Alternatively, in the
couple’s counseling, the relationship can be observed from many aspects depending
on the approach the therapist is using. The couple’s therapy focuses more intensely on
improving communications style among the couples. The therapist have to dive deep
directly into the couples life, exploring their behaviors and their daily routines both on
display and the one that emerges during the therapy (Tomasulo, 2015).
The differences in goals of the therapy
The important step to achieve something in life (e.g target to achieve in
therapy) is to have a road map, a kind of direction in life and goal setting provides that.
In Individual counseling, to explore and communicate with the client is the goal of
therapy so that a the therapist and the client can come to a consensus to help to heal
the client’s state of mental health problems and encourage the client to grow
("Individual counseling - Counseling and psychological services - CSU Channel
Islands," 2021).
In couple’s counseling the goals of therapy is to facilitate the couples to
understand self and partner better. To have behaviour change, to provide guidance on
improving communication skills, to guide them to resolve the issue, avoid stone
walling, learn to avoid the 4 horsemen ( defensiveness, criticism, contempt,
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stonewalling) and other any way of damaging altercation (Staik, 2019) and to
emphasize on the “positive sentiment override” (Werrbach, 2021).
The difference in the presenting issues
Some of the presenting issues brought by individual are mood disorders,
substance abuse, depression, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, eating disorders,
fatigue, substance use, anger etc (Fritscher, 2020). Individual clients seek help due to
unresolved problems or persistent issues that are affecting their lives. Couples seek
help due to unresolved conflict between them. Research found that common
presenting problem reported by couples are communication, power struggle,
unreasonable expectation by spouse (Heafner et al., 2016, p. 140). Conflicts in
couples relationship also arises from badly managed relationship (Sommers-Flanagan
& Sommers-Flanagan, 2009). Other common staying together day it day issues are
money, religion, culture, inlaws, children, work-living stress. As well as sexual issues,
infidelity, addictions, separation and divorce.
The difference in communication
Humans are born sosial as such communication is vital in any relationship.
Communication can be verbal, where the way the words are spoken, the tone of voice,
intonation will sen message to the receiver (Keteyan, 2010). On the other hand non
verbal communication consist of body movement, hand gesture, the direction of eyes
and facial expression. Good communication skills is when the intended message are
receive by the receiver in the intended manner. In an individual counseling session,
the therapist will listen and observe the client’s verbal and non verbal communication
to gauge the authenticity of the message conveyed by the clients. In couple counseling
the therapist will obverse the verbal and non verbal communication with the therapist
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and well the verbal and non verbal interaction between the couple when issues are
spoke out loud or addressed.
The difference in conflicts
Dictionary.com defined conflicts as a fight, battle, or struggle, especially a
prolonged struggle; strife.controversy; quarrel:conflicts between parties.discord of
action, feeling, or effect; antagonism or opposition, as of interests or principles:a
conflict of ideas. a striking together; collision. "Conflict," n.d.). Usually conflict
happen between people but internal conflict can happen and the client will be battling
with self (Adam, 2011). For individual session, the client may come to resolve his
conflict with self or with others the clients are dealing with whether it is at work or
family. Whereas in couple’s counseling the may come with internal conflict and or
interpersonal conflict between the couple (SommersFlanagan & Sommers-Flanagan,
2009). Gottman (1999) found that there “four conflict behaviors” in his opinion most
detrimental to relationships, this include “criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and
stonewalling”called the “Four Horseman”. In session the therapist role is to manage
the conflict that the individual client or couple finding difficult to resolve. The
therapist have to be able to be aware of the situation, be unbiased and able to find
middle ground in couple therapy.
Tbe difference in therapeutic relationship
Therapeutic relationship is also known as helping relationship or working
alliance. As per the name this one to one relationship with begin when therapy start
and ends with the termination of the therapy. The strong working relationship
between the therapist and the Therapist is vital to achieve a positive therapeutic
outcome from the therapy (Ardito & Rabellino, 2011) . In individual counseling the
working relationship is between the clients and the therapist created in the safe space
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will allow the clients to build trust and open up to issues that the client could not
address independently. In couples counseling the relationship has to be built with two
people in conflict. Building trust with each partner of the couple is not easy. Therapist
need to have additional training an experience in managing and handling the
“triangle” alliance. Alliance between therapist and clients may be further complicated
due to multiple interaction, perception and resistance. (Mahaffey & Lewis, 2008).
The Therapist need to use a conceptual framework that take into account the
communication “within triangles or three-person systems”, clearly understand the
dynamic of the system and influence of the family system operating on each of
them in relation to the couple or family (Rait, 2000, p. 211).
Confidentiality and Code of Ethics
A set of standard governed by law is called Code of Ethics. Code of Ethics
guides the therapist on the “moral principle” to follow while carrying out the duties.
One of the things that the therapist need to adhere to is the secrecy where the
information shared by the clients must not be shared to others unless the information
shared is is detrimental to the client or anyone else. In normal circumstances the
therapist will inform the client that the information shared will not be disclosed to
others (S. Kabir, 2017). Similarly the therapist in the couple session are also bound by
the confidentiality code and will not share the information to anyone else unless there
will be danger to the clients or people by not sharing the information. Here the
therapist is bound by two people’ confidentiality sharing “Ethical dilemma can arise
as the impact of the disclosure may not only impact the couples but the overall family
system as well”. (Peterson & Castronova, 2017).
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The Differences in Therapeutic Modalities
Therapist are trained in various modalities and will use one or a mix approach
in the session. Whether the therapist is for individual or couples the ultimate aim will
be to see that the client or clients managed to overcome the issues faced by them.
Counseling approaches are guided by theory, research and experience gained in the
field.
The differences in therapeutic approach
Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotional Focused Individual Therapy focuses on the emotions of the client. The
theory believes that an individual’s emotion drives their choices and decision making.
It dives deep into past relationship from childhood to get to the root course of the
underlying issues, inherent needs and emotional battle affecting the client ("(EFIT)
Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy," n.d.) The aim of the therapy is to make
aware and transform the negative and maladaptive emotions to positive. It works on
the premise that the client knows better about their emotions. EFT is used to treat
depression, abuse neglect, anxiety, eating disorder and personality disorder
("Emotion–focused therapy," 2018). Relatively the Emotional Focused Couples
Therapy is rooted on adult love relationship as an attachment bond (Allan &
Zeidlhack, 2019). The goal of EFCT is to restructure the emotional responses of the
couple in 3 steps: (1) De-escalation - identify negative emotion rooted from
attachment and re-frame the problems. This will allow the couple to strengthen their
bond, be emotionally available and be empathetic. (2) Restructuring - the couple are
able to share emotions, show acceptance and be compassionate to the partner. (3)
Consolidation - The couples learn a new way to interact with each other. By changing
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the interaction pattern the conflict is reduced. Used with couples with conflict, poor
communication and distress. (Feuerman, 2021)
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) uses thoughts, emotions and behaviour to
identify and change the patterns of behaviour that influenced by negative thoughts.
Negative and not realistic thoughts causes distress. Some of the areas addressed by
CBT are anxiety, depression, panic attack, anger, phobias etc. The therapy aims to
teach individuals that they cannot control everything that is happening around them
but can control how they perceive it. The strategies used are “identify negative
thoughts, learn new skills, set goals, solve your problems and monitor”. The benefit of
this approach is the clients develops coping mechanism (Cherry, 2020). Cognitivebehavioral couple therapy (CBCT) on the other hand intent at helping romantic
couples who is struggling in their relationship due to distress. This theory believes
that cognition can influence intimate relationship by the way it is interpreted by the
partners. CBCT aims to improve relationship taking into account the external factors
that may influence the relationship. Couples are guided to be aware of their automatic
thoughts, assumptions, standards and identity which will influence their partner’s
behaviour, thoughts and they way they perceive and their affect in their relationship.
This therapy is used for conflict, infidelity, infertility etc. (Dugal et al., 2018)
Person centred therapy focusing on individual clients believes that the
client knows more about themselves that any one else. As such this method uses a
more self directed, define own goals and learning from own approach which is
suitable for individual counseling . This Person Centred Therapy approach is
developed by Carl Rogers. The core conditions of the client centred counseling are the
congruence or genuineness, unconditional positive regard where the clients are valued
as themselves and being empathetic and understand what the client is feeling (Leod,
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2019). Some areas addressed by this approach is anxiety and behaviour change.
Instead of focusing on problems and ways to resolving it Person centred therapy for
couples addresses the issues of relationship in a different manner. The focus is on
improving communication for the couple and to be able to have an open and honest
conversation with each other. The focus is for the couples to be able to express their
needs an emotions with a therapist present. The couple also will recognize their self
concept (e.g. low self-esteem, feel insecure) and understand each other better in a way
will reduce conflicts in the couple’s relationship .As in individual therapy the
therapist will not dictate what to do but provide support (Bailey, 2019) .
Imago for individual. Imago therapy can also be used for Individual even though it
was designed for couples. This therapy allow individual to explore and analyse their
relationship history and how it may influence their relationship, dating patterns and
partner selection in the future. The client is able to dive deep and open up their
underlying wounds. This will enable the individual to be better prepared and
compassionate towards their future partners. Imago relationship therapy (IRT)
resolves conflict by transforming it to opportunities for healing and growth. Imago is
a Latin word means “image”. Imago stresses that we learn about love from our past
relationship. We build attachment and learn about self worth by how important people
in our lives treat us. What is different about Imago compared to other modalities is,
Imago stress that our early attachment with caregives influences the selection of our
partners. The therapy suggest that we let our guard down when we feel familiar with
someone who are similar from our past experience. Romantic relationship are easily
built. Secondly, Imago is different it uses conflict, distress and opportunity for healing
and growth by exploring and learning. The therapist will not tell what to do but
facilitate the session. (Clarke, 2019)
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Approaches used in couple counseling
One of the most researched and practised method Gottman Method
Couples Therapy is a method carried out for over 30 years with 3,000 couples.
Gottman method uses techniques to increase affection, closeness and respect
which will resolve conflict. The couples will be at a deadlock and will learn to
understand each other and discuss issues in a calm manner. By love mapping of
the partner’s issues, stress, happiness the couple will learn to respect and
appreciate each other. In this method trust and commitment are reinforced into
their relationship (Tasker, 2013).
Conclusion
There are differences in individual and couple session even though the same in
every area of the counseling mentioned above. The application used for the same
modality will differ in application and the goals of the therapy and presenting issues.
It can be concluded that no one way fits all. As a therapist we have to be prepared for
all eventualities.
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