Presenting concerns
- Couple’s primary concerns or relationship difficulties discussed in session.
- Shifts or developments, relationship events or conflicts between sessions.
- Individual concerns raised by each partner.
- Life stressors or circumstances impacting the relationship.
Session content
- Review of homework/relationship practice: couple’s progress with relationship-building exercises or communication tasks, barriers and successes.
- Key topics discussed: main issues explored, relationship to couple’s goals, significant patterns or dynamics that emerged.
Relational dynamics and conceptualisation
- Interaction patterns observed: communication patterns, conflict dynamics, bid responses, repair attempts, emotional engagement, attunement or disconnection moments.
- Conceptualisation: for primary issues explored using relevant therapeutic approach (Gottman Method elements, EFT cycle positions, behavioural analyses).
Interventions
- Therapeutic interventions used with couples therapy techniques and therapeutic rationale.
- For each intervention: technique used, therapeutic modality, what was targeted, couple’s response including shifts in thinking or behaviour.
Individual partner perspectives and progress
- Partner A’s perspective: key concerns, insights, and emotional experiences expressed.
- Partner B’s perspective: key concerns, insights, and emotional experiences expressed.
- Areas of convergence/divergence: alignment in understanding or goals, and where perspectives differed.
Key themes and progress
- Important themes, insights, realisations or breakthrough moments.
- Shifts in understanding of difficulties or progress toward therapy goals.
- Couple’s progress and areas where progress is challenged.
- Improvements in communication, emotional connection, conflict management, intimacy.
Homework or plan
- Specific tasks or exercises assigned to couple for between-session practice, including rationale and expected outcomes.
Risk assessment
- Risk factors such as self-harm or suicidal ideation.
- Protective factors and action plans if risk present.
Next steps
- Preliminary agenda or goals for next session.
- Time, day, and date of future session.
Summary
- Brief recap of key points including relationship dynamics, interventions, responses observed, and treatment direction.
Presenting concerns
- Mary and John reported ongoing communication difficulties, particularly around household responsibilities and financial decisions.
- John expressed feeling “shut out” when Mary becomes withdrawn after disagreements.
- Mary described feeling “overwhelmed and unsupported” with managing household tasks while working full-time.
- Recent conflict occurred over weekend plans where both partners felt unheard and dismissed.
Session content
- Key topics discussed: communication patterns during conflict, underlying needs for connection and support, and ways to repair after disagreements.
- Explored how current stress from John’s job uncertainty is impacting their typical coping strategies.
Relational dynamics and conceptualisation
- Interaction patterns observed: Mary tends to pursue initially then withdraw when feeling unheard, while John moves to defensive explanations then shuts down.
- EFT conceptualisation: identified pursue-withdraw cycle with Mary in pursuing position and John in withdrawing position, both protecting against underlying fears of disconnection.
Interventions
- EFT cycle de-escalation: helped couple identify their negative interaction pattern and understand it as the problem rather than each other, resulting in both partners showing increased empathy.
- Emotion identification work: assisted Mary in recognising hurt beneath anger and John in identifying fear beneath defensiveness, leading to softer emotional expression from both partners.
- Enactment exercise: facilitated direct communication about underlying needs, with Mary expressing need for partnership and John expressing need for appreciation.
Individual partner perspectives and progress
- Partner A’s perspective (Mary): expressed feeling more understood when John acknowledged her workload and showed willingness to explore solutions together.
- Partner B’s perspective (John): recognised his tendency to minimise Mary’s concerns as a way of avoiding conflict, committed to staying engaged during difficult conversations.
- Areas of convergence: both partners acknowledged contributing to negative cycle and expressed desire to work together to overcome relationship challenges.
Key themes and progress
- Breakthrough moment when both partners recognised their cycle and expressed underlying vulnerabilities rather than defensive positions.
- Shift from blaming each other to viewing the cycle as the problem they need to work together to overcome.
- Improved ability to pause and identify emotions before reacting during session discussions.
- Demonstrated increased emotional connection and empathy for each other’s experiences throughout the session.
Homework or plan
- Practice cycle awareness exercise: when conflict begins, each partner will identify their position in the cycle and share one underlying emotion before continuing discussion, with rationale being to interrupt automatic patterns and increase emotional accessibility.
Risk assessment
- No risk factors identified for either partner during this session.
- Strong protective factors include commitment to relationship, willingness to engage in therapy process, and developing emotional awareness skills.
Next steps
- Continue working on cycle de-escalation and accessing underlying emotions and attachment needs in next session.
- Next session scheduled for 22 March 2024 at 3:00 PM.
Summary
- Mary and John successfully identified their pursue-withdraw cycle and began accessing underlying emotions of hurt and fear beneath their defensive positions. EFT interventions facilitated increased empathy and understanding, with both partners demonstrating willingness to view their pattern as the problem rather than each other.
