Abstract
Engaging with the confluence of power, emotion, and societal context in couple therapy is inevitably personal as well as professional. As editors of this volume, we have been touched by the clarity and persistence demanded of therapists doing the work described in each chapter. Here, we share our experiences as female therapists confronting patriarchal power. Drawing on personal examples from our own practice, we dialogue about three guiding strategies, the three I’s, that help us maintain focus when confronting societal-based power processes: Identify, Interrupt, and Invite. We conclude with the three C’s that enable us to enter into the active process of undoing gender inequality: Compassion, Curiosity, and Courage—as we resonate with our clients to provide a safe space for them to identify and practice new relational approaches in their couple relationships.
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Notes
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Knudson-Martin, C., Wells, M.A., Samman, S.K. (2015). Engaging Power, Emotion, and Context in Couple Therapy: Lessons Learned. 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_12
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