BEHAVIORAL COUPLE THERAPY - A NEW BEGINNING

In this article, I describe an integrative approach to couple therapy developed with Andrew Christensen. After summarizing the empirical findings which justify the need for clinical innovation, the basic principles underlying the new integration are delineated. The new dimension of Behavioral Couple Therapy is the addition of strategies to promote "acceptance of partner"; the acceptance work balances the traditional behavioral emphasis on "change' in the form of accommodation, compromise and collaboration. After outlining the basic strategies for promoting acceptance, I interpret this work from a behavioral perspective, and explain why it is not useful to conceptualize acceptance from a cognitive perspective. Finally, I place this focus on acceptance within a broader context, as a growing and vital movement within behavior therapy.