While past trauma typically has a strong impact on the couple relationship, a loving, caring relationship can also be a very important part in the healing and recovery of a trauma and abuse survivor. Offers both partners support for coping with and overcoming the negative effects of past trauma or abuse in their relationship. Fosters understanding on how current relationship issues may be linked to the trauma. Helps with developing strategies for managing triggers, fear, anger and other intense emotions. Provides the non-traumatized partner with skills for responding to the trauma survivor in supportive and empathic ways that confirm personal worth and integrity.
Helps create a more secure bond and safe forms of intimacy between partners.
Couples Facing Serious Health Issues Partners usually do not expect the challenges of serious health problems until the later stages of their lives. When a severe or chronic illness suddenly intrudes into a couple relationship, the couple often finds itself unprepared or overwhelmed. Couples may need to care for an ill and aging parent, adjust to a serious, unexpected illness of a child, or face significant health problems of one of the partners. Cope with serious or chronic illness of a partner or family member. Accept illness as a universal experience that impacts all long-term relationships at some point.