Abstract
Research has long shown that who has the affair, why an individual has an affair, and how couples respond once the secret is out are related to important socio-contextual variables that are seldom explicitly addressed in therapy sessions. In this chapter, we summarize our research findings on the reasons that most approaches to couple therapy for infidelity do not incorporate attention to gender and power. Then we describe the research-based Relational Justice Approach that addresses these concerns through five core components: (a) attention to power dynamics, (b) attunement to gender context, (c) creating space for alternate gender discourses, (d) pursuing relational responsibility of the more powerful partner, and (e) deepening experience of mutual support. Heavily influenced by Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy (SERT), the Relational Justice Approach creates scaffolding for a therapeutic process that helps couples reorganize imbalances that limit mutuality and relational options in affair recovery.
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Notes
- 1.
Case details in all clinical examples have been modified to protect client confidentiality.
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Williams, K., Kim, L. (2015). Relational Justice: Addressing Gender and Power in Clinical Practices for Infidelity. In: Knudson-Martin, C., Wells, M., Samman, S. (eds) Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy. AFTA SpringerBriefs in Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13398-0_10
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