Increasing Responsibility, Safety, and Trust Through a Dialogical Approach: A Case Study in Couple Therapy for Psychological Abusive Behavior

Abstract

This article reports an analysis of conjoint therapy for psychological intimate partner violence, treated via a dialogical approach. The article reviews current controversies surrounding this treatment modality and its outcome. The dialogical approach is presented as an appropriate method for analyzing and understanding the issue of violence, but it is emphasized that the focus on communication does not involve a return to a systemic perspective on intimate partner violence. Four important dimensions are identified as emerging in conjoint treatment for psychological intimate partner violence, namely responsibility, safety, trust, and the role of the therapists. The Dialogical Investigations of Happenings of Change method was used to analyze the transcripts of the therapy sessions. The results on these four dimensions, as identified via a dialogical method, are illustrated with transcript vignettes. Finally, there is discussion of the contribution that the dialogical approach 275 276 B. Vall et al. can make in conjoint therapy for psychological intimate partner violence, with mention also of the implications for research and for clinical practice.

Results of the Jyväskylä research project on couple therapy for intimate partner violence: topics and strategies in successful therapy processes

“…Findings from the dialogical analysis also showed that monologue was more present in therapy generally (Keltikangas et al ., ). Dialogical dialogue mostly took place between a therapist and either one of the clients (Vall et al ., ).…”

“…Another relevant aspect during conversations about abusive behaviour is related to trust. The project findings indicate that the couple might have serious difficulties in trusting each other (Vall et al ., ). Also, the clients’ pattern of communication may present a disrupted pattern in which each tries to impose on the other their view of the situation.…”

“…As for the therapist strategies, it is important to focus on the need for clients to become aware of their responsibility, which in turn will help develop reflexivity (Kytölä and Lehto, ). Therapists can try to promote the acquisition of responsivity through the use of multivoiced addresses strategy, including the reflective dialogue between the therapists so as to increase the clients’ reflective positioning, and being directive in their approach (Vall et al ., ).…”

“…Second, results elucidated the importance of the issue of responsibility during therapeutic discussions, where a process of negotiating responsibility may be observed. It was found that in cases of psychological abuse, clients may have more difficulty positioning themselves as responsible for the violence, and might ask for their partner to be held responsible for it as well (Vall, Seikkula, Laitila, Holma and Botella, ). Therefore, accepting responsibility would seem to be especially crucial when starting couple therapy for psychological IPV.…”

Affective Arousal During Blaming in Couple Therapy: Combining Analyses of Verbal Discourse and Physiological Responses in Two Case Studies

“…These themes also relate to responsibility, safety and trust, which have been considered the main goals of conjoint IPV treatment (Vall et al 2014). To begin with, the theme of loyalty involves setting boundaries, which is a basic task for any new family (Minuchin 1974).…”