Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access

Positive psychology couple therapy

29^th World Summit on Positive Psychology, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy

May 21-22, 2018 | New York, USA

Edward WengLok Chan

International Psychology Centre, Malaysia

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Psychol Psychother

Abstract :

In this approach, the aim is to reshape the communication pattern between couples and create more positive communication pattern and effective dependency, increasing individuals' self-regulation and resilience. In good-outcome cases, the couple is helped to respond and thereby meet each other�s' psychological needs including any unmet needs from childhood. The newly shaped positive and safe communication pattern becomes the best therapy to traumatic experience from within and outside of the relationship. Positive psychology couple therapy (PPCT) is therefore effective not only in healing couple relationship but is also therapeutic for the individual's psychopathology including anxiety and depression which will be resolved once the client's relationship with his significant other is healed or formed. The PPCT therapist leads the couple through certain positive communication patterns reshaping steps: stage one involves identifying negative communication patterns which has three steps: Identify the conflict issues between the partners; identify the negative communication patterns where these issues are expressed and reframe the issue in terms of each partner's unmet needs. During this stage the PPCT therapist creates a positive and safe environment for the couple to build rapport with the therapist. The therapist also gets a sense of the couple's positive and negative communication patterns from past and present and is able to summarize and present these patterns for them. Partners soon no longer view the other as a threat but rather as a collaborator and partner in healing themselves and each other. Stage two involves changing into positive communication patterns which again has the following steps: facilitate each partner's expression of needs and wants to restructure positive communication based on new understandings and create positive communication patterns; promote each partner's acceptance of the other's experience. This stage involves validating and empathizing each partner's experience. This is done through couples recognizing their needs, and then changing their communication patterns based on those needs. Stage three involves consolidation which again has the following steps: facilitate the formulation of new positive communication pattern to old issues; consolidate new positive communication behavior. This stage focuses on reflection of new positive experiences of each other and of themselves and the way they deal with issues in a positive manner and attitude.