Watch this video and answer the following 5 questions.
https://www.psychotherapy.net
1.Seeing the partners separately: What do you think of how Coyne saw Hugh and Alan separately before meeting with them together? Do you agree with Coyne that it might have contributed to the partners being less inhibited, more candid, and/or less shunning of responsibility? Is there anything either Hugh or Alan said to Coyne that you believe they wouldn’t have said if their partner had been in the room? Have you ever separated the partners in a couple or seen the partners individually? How did it work for you? If you were a member of this couple, how do you think you
would have felt if you and your partner had been seen separately?
2. Starting the session: Coyne began each segment by asking partners,
“How do you see the situation?” What did you think of this way
of beginning? How do you tend to begin couples sessions? Why?
3. Permission-seeking: How did you react when Coyne attempted
to invoke a collaborative therapeutic relationship by asking
questions like, “Would that be an okay way to proceed?” and “Is
this okay?” Do you think this permission seeking contributed
to a collaborative relationship with Hugh? With Alan? Why
or why not? Do you tend to ask your clients for permission in
sessions? When do you think it is helpful and unhelpful to do so?
4. Focus on strengths: Several times throughout the session,
Coyne offered positive reframes, such as when Hugh told
Coyne that Alan was not decisive and Coyne responded by
saying, “You’ve been together twelve years.” What did you think
of this specific intervention and Coyne’s reframes in general?
Were there any times in the session that you thought Coyne’s
reframes were especially effective or particularly ineffective?
If you were conducting the interview, would you have focused
on the strengths of their relationship to the same extent that
Coyne did? Why or why not? If you were Coyne’s client, do you
think this technique would feel supportive? Why or why not?
5. Assignment: What did you think of the assignment that
Coyne came up with for Hugh and Alan? What are your
thoughts on Coyne’s invitation to welcome the problematic
behaviors as opportunities for learning as opposed to focusing
on trying to get rid of or avoid the problematic behaviors?
If you had been the therapist, what other assignment
might you have recommended for this couple? Why?
If this doesn’t all fit on one page let me know – thank you! It can be short answers
