Couple Power Therapy: Building Commitment, Cooperation, Communication, and Community in Relationships

Conventional couples therapy focuses on correcting specific relationship problems, but this method is often limited because it does not result in lasting improvement. In Couple Power Therapy: Building Commitment, Cooperation, Communication, and Community in Relationships, Drs. Sheras and Koch-Sheras introduce the Couple Power Therapy model, an exciting new approach in which partners cocreate a unified vision for their relationship. These seasoned couples therapists use a series of sequential tasks to teach the partners how to transcend their individual identities to nurture "the couple as entity," in effect, crafting a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. This shifts the paradigm away from the therapist's responsibility for success to the couple's responsibility, from the more negative emphasis of focusing on problems to a more positive goal of creating a fulfilling relationship, and from a quick fix to lifelong development skills.

At the heart of this model are the tasks known as the "4 C's" of Couple Power Therapy: commitment, cooperation, communication, and community. Upon learning these tasks, the authors note, any couple can develop and maintain the solid foundation that is crucial for successful couplehood. Packed with exercises and illustrative case studies, this innovative book is an indispensable resource for therapists seeking to empower their clients and equip them with the progressive and practical tools necessary for healthy, long-lasting partnerships.