Abstract
Mutually supportive intimate relationships are a foundation for health and well-being, but societally based power imbalances make them difficult to attain. This chapter introduces Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy (SERT), in which couple therapists position themselves to counteract the destructive influences of social inequalities through in-session work focused on four conditions foundational to mutual support—mutual influence, shared vulnerability, shared relationship responsibility, and mutual attunement. The chapter begins with background on the clinical research group that developed SERT and uses a case example to illustrate five foundational principles that guide the approach: (1) context structures personal identities and relational processes, (2) emotion is contextual, (3) power is relational, (4) relationships should mutually support each partner, and (5) therapists must actively intervene in social processes. The chapter concludes with descriptions of seven SERT clinical competencies. It shows how empathic engagement of a socioculturally attuned therapist sets the stage for new sociocultural experiences. In contrast to therapy models that mask power issues, SERT suggests that therapist neutrality is not possible or desirable and views therapy as a societal intervention.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
ChenFeng, J. L., & Galick, A. (2015). How gender discourses hijack couple therapy and how to avoid it. In C. Knudson-Martin, M. A. Wells, & S. K. Samman (Eds.), Socio-emotional relationship therapy: Bridging emotion, societal context, and couple interaction (pp. 41–52). New York, NY: Springer.
Dickerson, V. (2013). Patriarchy, power, and privilege: A narrative/poststructural view of work with couples. Family Process, 52, 102–114.
Esmiol, E., Knudson-Martin, C., & Delgado, S. (2012). How MFT students develop a critical contextual consciousness: A participatory action research project. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 38, 573–588.
Estrella, J., Kuhn, V. P., Freitas, C. J., & Wells, M. A. (2015). Expanding the lens: How SERT therapists develop interventions that address larger context. In C. Knudson-Martin, M. A. Wells & S. K. Samman (Eds.), Socio-emotional relationship therapy: Bridging emotion, societal context, and couple interaction (pp. 53–65). New York, NY: Springer.
Fishbane, M. D., & Wells, M. A. (2015). Toward relational empowerment: Interpersonal neurobiology, couples, and the societal context. In C. Knudson-Martin, M. A. Wells & S. K. Samman (Eds.), Socio-emotional relationship therapy: Bridging emotion, societal context, and couple interaction (pp. 27–40). New York, NY: Springer.
Gerson, K. (2010). The unfinished revolution: How a new generation is reshaping family, work, and gender in America. New York: Oxford University Press.
Gottman, J. M. (2011). The science of trust: Emotional attunement for couples. New York, NY: Norton.
Greenberg, L. S., & Goldman, R. N. (2008). Emotion-focused couples therapy: The dynamics of emotion, love, and power. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Hughes, D. (2009). The communication of emotions and the growth of autonomy and intimacy in family therapy. In D. Fosha, D. J. Siegel, & M. F. Solomon (Eds.), The healing power of emotion: Affective neuroscience, development and clinical practice (pp. 280–304). New York, NY: Norton.
Jonathan, N. (2009). Carrying equal weight: Relational responsibility and attunement among same-sex couples. In C. Knudson-Martin & A. R. Mahoney (Eds.), Couples, gender and power: Creating change in intimate relationships (pp. 79–104). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Jonathan, N., & Knudson-Martin, C. (2012). Building connection: Attunement and gender equality in heterosexual relationships. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, 11, 95–111.
Kimmel, M. (2011). The gendered society (4th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Knudson-Martin, C. (1994). The female voice: Applications to Bowen’s family systems theory. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 20, 35–46.
Knudson-Martin, C. (1996). Differentiation and self-development in the relationship context. The Family Journal, 4, 188–198.
Knudson-Martin, C. (1997). The politics of gender in family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 23, 431–447.
Knudson-Martin, C. (2013). Why power matters: Creating a foundation of mutual support in couple relationships. Family Process, 52, 5–18.
Knudson-Martin, C. (2015). When therapy challenges patriarchy: Undoing gendered power in heterosexual couple relationships. In C. Knudson-Martin, M. A. Wells & S. K. Samman (Eds.), Socio-emotional relationship therapy: Bridging emotion, societal context, and couple interaction (pp. 15–26). New York, NY: Springer.
Knudson-Martin, C., & Huenergardt, D. (2010). A socio-emotional approach to couple therapy: Linking social context and couple interaction. Family Process, 49, 369–386.
Knudson-Martin, C., Huenergardt, D., Lafontant, K., Bishop, L., Schaepper, J., & Wells, M. (2014). Competencies for addressing gender and power in couple therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (Advance online publication),. doi:10.1111/jmft.12068.
Knudson-Martin, C., & Mahoney, A. (2005). Moving beyond gender: Processes that create relationship equality. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 31, 235–246.
Knudson-Martin, C., & Mahoney, A. (2009). Couples, gender, and power: Creating change in intimate relationships. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Leslie, L. A., & Southard, A. L. (2009). Thirty years of feminist family therapy: Moving into the mainstream. In S. A. Lloyd, A. L. Few, & K. R. Allen (Eds.), Handbook of feminist family studies (pp. 328–339). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.
McDowell, T. M., & Fang, S. S. (2007). Feminist-informed critical multiculturalism. Journal of Family Issues, 28, 549–566.
Mirgain, S. A., & Cordova, J. V. (2007). Emotion skills and marital health: The association between observed and self-reported emotion skills, intimacy, and marital satisfaction. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 26, 983–1009.
Pandit, M., ChenFeng, J. L., & Kang, Y. J. (2015). Becoming socioculturally attuned: A study of therapist experience. In C. Knudson-Martin, M. A. Wells & S. K. Samman (Eds.), Socio-emotional relationship therapy: Bridging emotion, societal context, and couple interaction (pp. 67–78). New York, NY: Springer.
Porges, S. W. (2009). Reciprocal influences between body and brain in the perception and expression of affect. In D. Fosha, D. J. Siegel, & M. F. Solomon (Eds.), The healing power of emotion: Affective neuroscience, development and clinical practice (pp. 27–54). New York, NY: Norton.
Richards, J. C., Jonathan, N., & Kim, L. (2015). Building a circle of care in same-sex couple relationships: A socio-emotional relational approach. In C. Knudson-Martin, M. A. Wells & S. K. Samman (Eds.), Socio-emotional relationship therapy: Bridging emotion, societal context, and couple interaction (pp. 93–105). New York, NY: Springer.
Siegel, D. J. (2001). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Stuchell, S. (2013). Physician couples: A qualitative inquiry focused on gendered power and marital equality (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Loma Linda, CA: Loma Linda University.
Tichenor, V. J. (2005). Earning more and getting less: Why successful wives can’t buy equality. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Walters, M., Carter, B., Papp, P., & Silverstein, O. (1988). The invisible web: Gender patterns in family relationships. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Williams, K., Galick, A., Knudson-Martin, C., & Huenergardt, D. (2013). Toward mutual support: A task analysis of the relational justice approach to infidelity. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 39, 285–298. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00324.x.
Williams, K., & Knudson-Martin, C. (2013). Do therapists address gender and power in infidelity? A feminist analysis of the treatment literature. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 39(3), 271–284. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00303.x.
Winslade, J. (2009). Tracing lines of flight: Implications of the work of Gilles Deleuze. Family Process, 48, 332–346.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 American Family Therapy Academy
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Knudson-Martin, C., Huenergardt, D. (2015). Bridging Emotion, Societal Discourse, and Couple Interaction in Clinical Practice. In: Knudson-Martin, C., Wells, M., Samman, S. (eds) Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy. AFTA SpringerBriefs in Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13398-0_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13398-0_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-13397-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-13398-0
eBook Packages: Behavioral ScienceBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)