Developmental Couple Therapy for Complex Trauma: A Manual for Therapists

Developmental Couple Therapy for Complex Trauma provides therapists with comprehensive and practical guidance for integrating DCTCT into their work with traumatized couples. The book includes an evidence-based framework which emphasizes the importance of containing conflict and helps clients to build emotional regulation and mentalizing skills. The framework is an invaluable asset to all clinicians working with couples dealing with the ravaging impacts of complex trauma, who may not be able to benefit from traditional forms of couple therapy due to challenges in regulating emotions, mentalizing and other aspects of the complex trauma response that limit capacity to engage in relationships and couple therapy.

The chapters guide you through the four key stages of DCTCT: Psychoeducation, Building Capacity, Dyadic Processing, and Consolidation. Each stage has accompanying activities and narratives in which to engage traumatized couples and includes a variety of case transcripts to illustrate the approach. Throughout the manual the author provides the reader with:

• insights from real-world scenarios based on her extensive clinical experience;
• worksheets that can be used as part of the therapeutic process;
• systematic analyses of the therapeutic process from the therapist’s point of view;
• comprehensive recommendations for further reading so that you can develop your expertise in any area of DCTCT.

Never losing sight of the fact that the therapist plays an essential role as a coach and mentor for those undertaking couple therapy, this manual is a valuable tool for any clinician working to engage traumatized couples and equip them with the skills they need to develop and maintain a strong and vibrant couple relationship.

Heather B MacIntosh, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the MScA Couple and Family Therapy in the School of Social Work at McGill University, where she is the recipient of the 2017 H. Noel Fieldhouse Award for Distinguished Teaching.