As politics have divided the U.S. in recent years, couples/families with different political preferences are increasingly presenting for therapy. This chapter reviews the impact of political polarization on couples/families. It delineates interventions for empowering couples/families to bridge political chasms by focusing on positive attachments and bonds, engaging in productive dialogue, reaffirming shared values, and using conflict management strategies. While these interventions show promise for rebuilding healthy relationships damaged by political discord, not all couples/families can find respectful and mutually acceptable ways to interact across political differences. Thus, this chapter also offers guidance for helping people move forward when respectful discourse is not a shared goal. A case example is then offered to illustrate key points about the intervention process. With politics being more prominent in couples/family therapies, we attend to the impact of such discourse on the therapist. We offer recommendations for maintaining an alliance with all parties, making decisions about self-disclosure, addressing political themes, using these discussions as vehicles for addressing other problematic interactions, and engaging in crucial conversations while taking care of themselves.

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Navigating Love Across the Political Spectrum

  • Nadine J. Kaslow,
  • Samantha C. Patton,
  • Kallio Hunnicutt-Ferguson

摘要

As politics have divided the U.S. in recent years, couples/families with different political preferences are increasingly presenting for therapy. This chapter reviews the impact of political polarization on couples/families. It delineates interventions for empowering couples/families to bridge political chasms by focusing on positive attachments and bonds, engaging in productive dialogue, reaffirming shared values, and using conflict management strategies. While these interventions show promise for rebuilding healthy relationships damaged by political discord, not all couples/families can find respectful and mutually acceptable ways to interact across political differences. Thus, this chapter also offers guidance for helping people move forward when respectful discourse is not a shared goal. A case example is then offered to illustrate key points about the intervention process. With politics being more prominent in couples/family therapies, we attend to the impact of such discourse on the therapist. We offer recommendations for maintaining an alliance with all parties, making decisions about self-disclosure, addressing political themes, using these discussions as vehicles for addressing other problematic interactions, and engaging in crucial conversations while taking care of themselves.