La Dolce Vita? Helping Intercultural Couples in Italy Navigate Relational Challenges

Abstract

Intercultural couples have a diversity that can both enrich their relationship and add layers of complexity, multiplying the potential for misunderstandings. What is often invisible to the couple is how their cultural backgrounds inform how they perceive themselves, each other, and the relationship. These differences can become more accentuated when the couple is in conflict. Counselors working with intercultural couples need a firm grasp on their own cultural background, knowledge of the couple's cultures, and the skills to identify and navigate those differences. Partly written as a personal narrative, this article will explore my work with intercultural couples (primarily Italian men and U.S. women) as a counselor in Florence, Italy, and share insights that may be useful to other practitioners working with intercultural couples.