Includes bibliographical references and index.

Section I. Fundamental principles for effective couple therapy -- The heart and soul of couple therapy -- Joining: from the perspective of the use of self -- The road to mastery : three steps for improving performance as a couples therapist -- The partners for change outcome management systems (PCOMS) -- Ethical techniques to maintain confidentiality in couple therapy -- Section II. Techniques and interventions -- Enactment : from the perspective of the use of self -- Enactments in five developmental stages -- Effectively structuring enactments -- Expanding levels of communications -- Rule-governed speaker-listener technique -- Problem-solving strategies based on PREP (prevention and relationship education program) -- The daily dialogue -- Using shared journaling to practice communication skills with couples -- Soft/hard/soft communication -- Multidirectional partiality -- Systemic reframing -- Taking ownership -- Reattribution -- Clarifying the negative cycle in emotionally focused couple therapy (EFT) -- Externalizing conversations -- Re-storying the problem -- Reattribution and narrative change -- Anger management self-talk -- Unbalancing -- Confronting splitting -- Identifying and working through projective identifications -- Helping partners break free of adversarial relationships : transitioning from I-it to I-thou -- Tracking protective sequences in internal family systems therapy -- Empathic joining -- Aspects of intimacy -- Intimacy and sharing hurts -- Deepening attachment emotion in emotionally focused couple therapy (EFT) -- Asking about the absent but implicit in narrative therapy -- What's better? : focusing on positives -- Scaling questions with couples -- Support talk : intervention for enhancing social support based on PREP (prevention and relationship education program) -- Hugging, holding, huddling, and cuddling (3HC) -- "You're cyberplace or mine?" : electronic fantasy dates -- Forgiveness in couples therapy : expanding compassion, responsibility, and apology -- Restoration of relationships after affairs -- Myths about marriage -- Development tasks in the critical first year of marriage : clinical guidelines -- The use of the sexual genogram -- A systemic approach to sensate focus -- A biopychosocial-spiritual assessment in brief or extended couple therapy formats -- Using the wellness wheel with couples -- Identifying and reducing stress that influences relational health -- Psychoeducation on the influence of stress on couples -- 3-phase method of dyadic coping -- Clinical assessment interview for intimate partner violence -- "I didn't hurt you, but if I did I had a good reason!" : denial and ddistortionin abusive couples -- Using psychoeducation when assessing and treating the effects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in couple relationships -- Promoting healing of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors within the couple relationship.