Partner Involvement and Couples Issues After Treatment

Partner Involvement and Couples Issues After Treatment 

Many treatment centers offer family programs, such as weekly family or couple support groups, that may coincide with the aftercare program that the client attends. In addition, the aftercare counselor may decide that meeting jointly with client and partner can be helpful during aftercare to address relationship 

Many new challenges can arise after treatment for partners. A family therapist can prepare the partner for these challenges as part of a family orientation to aftercare. Such a meeting will occur around the same time as the client develops his or her continuing care plan just prior to discharge from treatment. The family therapist may address adjustment concerns that many partners experience when a client is discharged from treatment. The family therapist can prepare the partner for what to reasonably expect from the loved one after treatment ends. 

Empirically validated cognitive behavioral therapy for couples can be quite helpful if relationship problems are an issue. Cognitive behavioral couples therapy combines the best of cognitive behavioral and family therapy techniques in order to help couples. The research suggests that use of this type of therapy can be quite helpful in mediating and resolving problems involving couples. Counselors may want to make a referral for this therapy if clients have relationship issues that interfere with aftercare. 

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