Satisfaction Enhancement and Undermining Avoidance
In Phase 2, couples learn about the insidious role of avoidance in maintaining both PTSD and relationship distress and are taught communication skills to address both. In tandem with idiographically-programmed trauma-relevant in vivo approach assignments, enhanced dyadic communication is used as an antidote to PTSD-related emotional numbing and avoidance and a means of increasing emotional intimacy. Communication skills presented and practiced in each session build on each other over several sessions to help the couple identify and share their feelings and notice the way that their thoughts influence their feelings and behaviors. The couple then uses these communication skills to discuss PTSD-related content and to problem-solve how they will “shrink” the role of PTSD in their relationship by collaboratively addressing PTSD-related behavioral and experiential avoidance.
- Session 3 Listening and Approaching:
- Review Out-of-Session Assignments
- Psychoeducation about PTSD, Avoidance, and Intimate Relationship Functioning
- Introduce Communication Skills Training
- Effective Listening Skills
- Out-of-Session Assignments
- Check-out
- Session 4 Sharing Thoughts and Feelings – Emphasis on Feelings:
- Review of Out-of-Session Assignments
- Introduce Channel Checking
- Introduce Channel of Sharing Thoughts and Feelings (Focus on Feelings)
- Identifying feelings: Identifying Feelings
- Expressing feelings
- Reflecting feelings
- In-session Practice
- Shrinking PTSD Through Approach
- Out-of-Session Assignments
- Check-out
- Session 5 Sharing Thoughts and Feelings – Emphasis on Thoughts:
- Review Out-of-Session Assignments
- Identifying Thoughts on the Sharing Channel: Sharing Thoughts and Feelings to Shrink PTSD
- In-session Practice
- Shrinking PTSD Through Approach
- Out-of-Session Assignments
- Check out
- Session 6 Getting U.N.S.T.U.C.K.:
- Review Out-of-Session Assignments
- Introduction of U.N.S.T.U.C.K. Process
- In-session Practice
- Shrinking PTSD Through Approach
- Out-of-Session Assignments
- Check out
- Session 7 Problem-Solving/Decision-Making:
- Review of Out-of-Session Assignments
- Introduction of Problem-Solving/Decision-Making: Problem-solving/decision making guidelines
- In-session Practice/Shrinking PTSD Through Approach
- Out-of-Session Assignments
- Check out