Teaching the Couple Intake: Helping Supervisees Create Successful Outcomes in Couple Therapy

Welcome to an insightful journey into how to do a couples intake… successfully. In this blog, I’ll share my structured approach, combining years of experience with specialized training in marriage and family therapy. Let’s explore these techniques to foster deeper understanding and intimacy from the outset to help your supervisees become successful with couples.

TCCBB #63 Teaching the Couple Intake: Helping Supervisees Create Successful Outcomes in Couple Therapy

Four-Session Framework for Assessment

The couple assessment is strategically spread over four sessions. The first session is akin to an interview, laying the foundational groundwork. Subsequent sessions are individual. This allows for a deeper dive into personal goals and potential red flags like addiction or domestic violence. This structure ensures a comprehensive understanding of each individual within the couple's dynamic.

The fourth session revolves around a communication exercise. This provides the couple with feedback on their interaction style and specific steps for improvement. These sessions are crucial in setting the stage for future counseling. Their purpose is to offer a balanced view of the relationship from both individual and collective lenses.

Equality in Conversation and Storytelling in Couple Intake

A key element in my approach when conducting couples intake is ensuring that each partner has an equal voice. This balance is vital for creating a safe and respectful therapeutic environment. I make a conscious effort to be the least anxious presence, a concept rooted in Bowenian triangulation. This positively impacts the couple’s dynamic.

Each partner is encouraged to share their story once, promoting efficiency and clarity in understanding each individual's perspective. In summary, this rule not only helps in focusing the session but also avoids repetitive or circular discussions, paving the way for a more productive dialogue.

The Art of Selective Couple Intake

During the intake, I concentrate on gathering essential information, judiciously skipping over details that we can obtain from intake paperwork or are better  for individual sessions. This method helps maintain the focus of the session on more immediate and pressing issues.

Additionally, I employ an ‘empty box’ technique for note-taking. This allows flexibility and adaptability in documenting the session. Furthermore, this approach aids in tracking the conversation flow effectively. Furthermore, I like to explore each partner’s initial attractions, concerns, and current perceptions of the relationship, which provides a comprehensive understanding of its evolution and current state.

Systemic View and Concluding Strategies

To adopt a systemic approach, I focus on ‘how’ the couple interacts rather than just ‘what’ they say. This approach is crucial for understanding the underlying relationship dynamics and prevents getting bogged down by the specifics of their narrative.

Additionally, the sessions conclude with a three-point wrap-up, addressing the impact of stress, the couple's current life stage, and the presenting issue. This holistic summary not only offers a broad overview of the relationship’s dynamics but also sets a clear path for future therapeutic work. This closing also emphasizes the normalcy of their struggles, fostering a sense of understanding and acceptance as they move forward.

In conclusion, this structure allows for a flexible approach to couple intakes. It also ensures a thorough and empathetic exploration of each relationship. It's a method shaped by experience and continuous learning. This keeps clients open to adapt and improve.

Action Steps

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• If you have questions about supervision, tag Kate on Instagram @katewalkertraining