Marital Therapy — Practical Approaches to Longstanding Problems*

This paper details a practical guide to the therapy of certain longstanding marital problems. Bateson's (1972) notions of schismogenesis and restraint provide the basis for an understanding of these problems and their presentation for therapy in terms of a classification of processes. A series of hypotheses, derived from this classification of processes, is developed for highly competitive marriages, dominant/submissive marriages and for marriages with closeness/distance problems. These hypotheses enable the therapist to avoid inadvertently participating with couples in ways that perpetuate these problems. Intervention procedures that enable the therapist to participate with couples in ways that favour a more mutually satisfying resolution of such problems are discussed.