Multiple approaches to the treatment of violent couples

The first step in treating violent couples is to determine which of the three basic approaches is most suitable for the client: unilateral (noninteractive treatment of the individual); bilateral (noninteractive treatment of each partner separately); and dyadic (mutual and interactive conjoint treatment). Accurate assessment using defined criteria is absolutely crucial in order to ascertain whether the couple can or cannot be treated together safely. A broad array of established clinical techniques (specific to aggressive couples) can be utilized within each of the three designated modalities. Both assessment criteria and specific clinical techniques are described.