Engaging Couples New Directions in Therapeutic Work with Families

ABOUT THE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

Brett Kahr

Andrew Balfour, Christopher Clulow and Kate Thompson

Policy and practice contexts

Susanna Abse

Becoming a couple: psychoanalytic perspectives

Couples becoming parents

Adopting together

Working with couples in groups

Let’s talk about sex

Couple therapy for depression

Mentalization based couple therapy

Working with couple violence

Working with the fractured container

Living Together with Dementia

Biography

Andrew Balfour is Chief Executive at Tavistock Relationships, and a Fellow at St George’s House, Windsor. He is a clinical psychologist, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and couple psychotherapist. With Mary Morgan and Christopher Vincent, he co-edited How Couple Relationships Shape our World: Clinical Practice, Research and Policy Perspectives.

Christopher Clulow is a Consultant Couple Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, a Senior Fellow of the Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology, London, and a Fellow of the Centre for Social Policy, Dartington. He has published extensively on marriage, partnerships, parenthood and couple psychotherapy.

Kate Thompson is a psychoanalytic couple psychotherapist, head of Tavistock Relationship’s strategic development and Couple Therapy for Depression training, Kate has worked with couples for over 20 years and specialises in the impact of mental health difficulties on relationships.

"Treating common mental disorders within the unit of the couple has been shown to be one of the most effective modes of psychological intervention. This book will ground and orient the clinician to the nuances and challenges of psychotherapy offered to couples but, beyond this, it brilliantly summarises the clinical achievements of several generations of clinicians who have created this unique and remarkable tradition to produce powerful individual change by addressing issues that concern two interlocking minds. A gem that should have pride of place on all clinicians’ bookshelves." Professor Peter Fonagy OBE, Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, Chief Executive, Anna Freud National Centre for Children & Families, National Clinical Advisor on Children’s Mental Health, NHS England

"At a time when policy-makers tend to look for simple answers to overly-simplified ‘what works’ questions, this volume makes a very refreshing and instructive read. It showcases the highly complex and deeply humane work of the Tavistock team as they go below the surface of couple relationships across the life cycle." June Thoburn CBE, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, University of East Anglia, UK

"The contributors to this text demonstrate ways of broadening the application of their approach to a number of potentially stressful relationship problems encountered at various stages in the life cycle. This will be a very useful text for a range of community-based services looking for specialist help in dealing with family relationship problems." Mervyn Murch CBE, Emeritus Professor, School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University, UK

"Tavistock Relationships has occupied a leading place in the world of couple mental health for more than 70 years. This marvelous book, written by some of the superstars of couple psychoanalysis, provides a wonderful insight into the pioneering work of this remarkable institution. Anyone with an interest in promoting the mental health and wellbeing of couples and families will benefit hugely from these chapters." Professor Dr Estela Welldon, Founder and Honorary Elected President of the International Association for Forensic Psychotherapy

"Engaging Couples is a most engaging book. It offers the clinician a rich tapestry of the history, science and art of psychoanalytic couple therapy as practiced and researched by probably the finest collection of couple therapists in the English speaking analytic world. From theory to practice, from parenting to old age, this volume examines many of the issues couple therapists face. In celebrating 70 years of Tavistock Relationships, this volume also enriches the ideas behind the work so many of us cherish. At the same time it presents an agenda for future development. This book is essential reading for all analytic couple therapists, novice or veteran. Bravo to the editors and contributors for ushering in the next 70 years of one of the most enduring and celebrated institutions in psychoanalysis." David Scharff, Co-Founder, International Psychotherapy Institute, and Chair, Couple and Family Psychoanalysis Committee of the International Psychoanalytic Association