Treating the Relationship to Treat Symptoms: A Case of Integrative Couples Psychotherapy for Kleptomania

Kleptomania is a rare and under-researched impulse control disorder characterized by recurrent, irresistible urges to steal items of little or no personal value. Despite its significant impact on relational functioning, there are no existing case reports documenting the use of couples therapy for kleptomania or other impulse control disorders. This case report presents the couples therapy undertaken with a 57-year-old woman diagnosed with kleptomania, hoarding disorder, and dysthymia, who was seen with her husband for 37 sessions of integrative couples psychotherapy. Therapy followed an assimilative integration approach grounded in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, incorporating theoretical principles and techniques of Cognitive Behavioural Couples Therapy. Therapy enabled emotional disclosure, reconceptualization of distress, and improved relational functioning. This case illustrates the utility of a systemic lens in treating individual psychopathology and underscores the need for relational interventions in managing impulse control disorders, where family factors play a significant role in both the development and maintenance of the illness. Written informed consent for publication was obtained from the couple.