Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy: A Therapist's Guide to Creating Acceptance and Change

by Andrew Christensen, Brian D. Doss, Neil S. Jacobson

The definitive therapist manual for Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT)―one of the most empirically supported approaches to couple therapy. Andrew Christensen, codeveloper (along with the late Neil Jacobson) of Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy, and Brian Doss provide an essential manual for their evidence-based practice. The authors offer guidance on formulation, assessment, and feedback of couples’ distress from an IBCT perspective. They also detail techniques to achieve acceptance and deliberate change. In this updated edition of the work, readers learn about innovations to the IBCT approach in the 20+ years since the publication of the original edition―including refinements of core therapeutic techniques. Additionally, this edition provides new guidance on working with diverse couples, complex clinical issues, and integrating technology into a course of treatment.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2020

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so I *loved* this book, my first five-star read in a long time and one of the most helpful therapy textbooks/guides I've encountered. It's about couple therapy though I think the content would be helpful to therapists who solely practice individual therapy too. There's so much brilliant insight in this book though for the sake of concision I'll just share one of the core ideas which is the DEEP conceptualization. This stands for how Differences between partners, Emotional sensitivities that each partner has, External stressors that affect their relationship, and Patterns of communication that are dysfunctional can negatively impact their relationship. Even just this framework covers so much ground and captures a lot of - if not all of - the conflict I've observed in relationship issues my individual clients over the years have shared.

Beyond DEEP, this book offers so much. There's more theoretical content, though the tangible and practical, applied content is incredible. There are example therapy couple sessions that are annotated and intelligently analyzed, as well as specific wording suggestions and specific interpersonal strategies therapists can use in-session. Loved the skills unified detachment and empathic joining among others. Also appreciated how the authors spent a little time at least discussing cultural dynamics and sensitive topics like intimate partner violence and infidelity.

It's a little monogamy/amatonormative-focused though I believe a lot of the concepts can be applied and tailored to poly relationships and friendships. So excited to have this knowledge under my belt and looking forward to referencing this book as I continue my work. Also, there's a version of this book for non-therapists called Reconcilable Differences - while I haven't read it, just based on how stellar this book was I'd suspect that that book contains some solid information related to relationships for laypeople.

[Ursa Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent theory and applicability, but the book is so thorough it becomes tedious and repetitive. Reads like a dry textbook.

[Morgan Benner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those manuals I’m going to keep coming back to over and over. I hope to become a more confident and comfortable couple therapist before I retire or die!