Transforming the Legacy : Couple Therapy with Survivors of Childhood Trauma

To serve the increasing numbers of individuals who have endured childhood trauma, survived interpersonal and domestic violence, or as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence, armed conflict, or torture, the authors present an innovative couple therapy model grounded in a synthesis of psychological and social theories. Replete with case histories, the book emphasize how couple therapy transforms the legacies of childhood traumatic events (i.e., sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse). To serve the increasing numbers of individuals who have survived interpersonal and domestic violence, or as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence, armed conflict, or torture, __Transforming the Legacy__ presents an innovative relationship-based and culturally informed couple therapy practice model that is grounded in a synthesis of psychological and social theories. This unique couple therapy model encompasses three phases of clinical practice: Phase I entails a process of establishing safety, stabilization, and a context for changing legacies of emotional, sexual, and/or physical abuse. Phase II guides reflection on the trauma narrative. The goal of phase III is to consolidate new perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors. Within these phases, the model—illustrated with rich case studies—focuses on specific issues, including: intersubjectivity between the client and clinician (such as transference and countertransference, vicarious traumatization, and racial identity development); intrapersonal, interactional, and institutional factors; the role of the "victim-victimizer-bystander" dynamic in the couple and therapeutic relationships; preserving a locus of control with clients; flexibility in decisionmaking regarding clinical processes; and specific practice themes, such as the composition of a couple, the role of violence, parenting, sexuality, affairs, dual diagnoses, and dissociation. A dramatic departure from formulaic therapeutic approaches, this biopsychosocial model emphasizes the crafting of specific treatment plans and specific clinical interventions to show how couple therapy can transform the legacies of childhood traumatic events for a wide range of populations, including military couples and families, gay lesbian/bisexual/transgendered couples and families, and immigrant and refugee couples and families. This thorough attention to issues of cultural diversity distinguish __Transforming the Legacy__ from the current literature and make it an invaluable resource for clinicians in a wide range of professional disciplines. To serve the increasing numbers of individuals who have survived interpersonal and domestic violence, or as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence, armed conflict, or torture, Transforming the Legacy presents an innovative relationship-based and culturally informed couple therapy practice model that is grounded in a synthesis of psychological and social theories. This unique couple therapy model encompasses three phases of clinical practice: Phase I entails a process of establishing safety, stabilization, and a context for changing legacies of emotional, sexual, and/or physical abuse. Phase II guides reflection on the trauma narrative. The goal of phase III is to consolidate new perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors. Within these phases, the model -- illustrated with rich case studies -- focuses on specific issues, including: intersubjectivity between the client and clinician (such as transference and countertransference, vicarious traumatization, and racial identity development); intrapersonal, interactional, and institutional factors; the role of the "victim-victimizer-bystander" dynamic in the couple and therapeutic relationships; preserving a locus of control with clients; flexibility in decisionmaking regarding clinical processes; and specific practice themes, such as the composition of a couple, the role of violence, parenting, sexuality, affairs, dual diagnoses, and dissociation. A dramatic departure from formulaic therapeutic approaches, this biopsychosocial model emphasizes the crafting of specific treatment plans and specific clinical interventions to show how couple therapy can transform the legacies of childhood traumatic events for a wide range of populations, including military couples and families, gay lesbian/bisexual/transgendered couples and families, and immigrant and refugee couples and families. This thorough attention to issues of cultural diversity distinguish Transforming the Legacy from the current literature and make it an invaluable resource for clinicians in a wide range of professional disciplines. (Vol. 6 No. 1/2) Annotation To serve the increasing numbers of individuals who have survived interpersonal and domestic violence, or as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence, armed conflict, or torture, Transforming the Legacy presents an innovative relationship-based and culturally informed couple therapy practice model that is grounded in a synthesis of psychological and social theories. This unique couple therapy model encompasses three phases of clinical practice: Phase I entails a process of establishing safety, stabilization, and a context for changing legacies of emotional, sexual, and/or physical abuse. Phase II guides reflection on the trauma narrative. The goal of phase III is to consolidate new perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors. Within these phases, the model -- illustrated with rich case studies -- focuses on specific issues, including: intersubjectivity between the client and clinician (such as transference and countertransference, vicarious traumatization, and racial identity development); intrapersonal, interactional, and institutional factors; the role of the "victim-victimizer-bystander" dynamic in the couple and therapeutic relationships; preserving a locus of control with clients; flexibility in decisionmaking regarding clinical processes; and specific practice themes, such as the composition of a couple, the role of violence, parenting, sexuality, affairs, dual diagnoses, and dissociation. A dramatic departure from formulaic therapeutic approaches, this biopsychosocial model emphasizes the crafting of specific treatment plans and specific clinical interventions to show how couple therapy can transform the legacies of childhood traumatic events for a wide range of populations, including military couples and families, gay lesbian/bisexual/transgendered couples and families, and immigrant and refugee couples and families. This thorough attention to issues of cultural diversity distinguish Transforming the Legacy from the current literature and make it an invaluable resource for clinicians in a wide range of professional disciplines Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Contents......Page 8 List of Figures and Tables......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 16 SECTION I: CONTEXT......Page 20 1 Introduction......Page 22 2 Historical Review......Page 34 SECTION II: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS......Page 54 3 Social Theory......Page 56 4 Family Theory......Page 70 5 Trauma Theory......Page 89 6 Object Relations Theory......Page 110 7 Attachment Theory......Page 132 SECTION III: COUPLE THERAPY PRACTICE......Page 150 8 Biopsychosocial Assessment......Page 152 9 Phase-Oriented Couple Therapy Model......Page 173 10 Clinician Responses: Working with Traumatized Couples......Page 231 11 Clinical Case Illustration......Page 261 SECTION IV: SPECIFIC CLINICAL ISSUES......Page 302 12 Military Couples and Families......Page 304 13 Gay/Lesbian//Bisexual/Transgendered Couples and Families......Page 322 14 Immigrant and Refugee Couples and Families......Page 334 References......Page 350 Index......Page 384 To Serve The Increasing Numbers Of Individuals Who Have Survived Interpersonal And Domestic Violence Or, As Refugees, Have Sought Asylum From Political Violence, Armed Conflict, Or Torture, Transforming The Legacy Presents An Innovative Relationship-based And Culturally Informed Couple Therapy Practice Model That Is Grounded In A Synthesis Of Psychological And Social Theories.--jacket. Historical Review -- Social Theory -- Family Theory -- Trauma Theory -- Object Relations Theory -- Attachment Theory -- Biopsychosocial Assessment -- Phase-oriented Couple Therapy Model -- Clinician Responses : Working With Traumatized Couples -- Clinical Case Illustration -- Military Couples And Families -- Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered Couples And Families -- Immigrant And Refugee Couples And Families. Kathryn Karusaitis Basham And Dennis Miehls. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [331]-364) And Index.

To serve the increasing numbers of individuals who have endured childhood trauma, survived interpersonal and domestic violence, or as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence, armed conflict, or torture, the authors present an innovative couple therapy model grounded in a synthesis of psychological and social theories. Replete with case histories, the book emphasize how couple therapy transforms the legacies of childhood traumatic events (i.e., sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse).

"To serve the increasing numbers of individuals who have survived interpersonal and domestic violence or, as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence, armed conflict, or torture, Transforming the Legacy presents an innovative relationship-based and culturally informed couple therapy practice model that is grounded in a synthesis of psychological and social theories."--BOOK JACKET. Presents a relationship-based and culturally informed couple therapy practice model to serve the increasing numbers of individuals who have survived interpersonal and domestic violence, or as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence, armed conflict, or torture. This title is useful for clinicians in a range of professional disciplines. We face an unfortunate reality of increasing numbers of individuals who have endured childhood trauma; who have survived interpersonal and domestic violence; or who, as refugees, have sought asylum from political violence; armed conflict, or torture. -- Janet R. Johnston, San Jose State University and executive director of Protecting Children from Conflict, an affiliate of the Judith Wallerstein Center for the Family in Transition