Consider the notion that an individual with a disability may feel primarily defined by his or her ability status. Also, consider the historical treatment of people with disabilities and the number of individuals who were euthanized and sterilized in the U.S. and across the globe due to having a disability.

For decades, individuals with disabilities were left in institutions, hidden away from the rest of society. Parents were told if their child was born with a disability, they should have them locked away. Consider in today’s society how people with disabilities are still “hidden.” Think about how many people you see each day that have a visible disability. While there are many hidden disabilities that should not be ignored, it is significant to recognize the limited number of people you see each day with disabilities. Also, consider how others react toward a person with a disability in public. Do they stare? Do they move away? Do they invade the person’s space and ask inappropriate questions? What experiences have you seen in public with a person with a disability? Why do you think society has marginalized this group for so long? Why are those with disabilities limited or eliminated from full participation in society today? Who has the right to decide what makes a “good life” and how is that decision made?

To prepare: Read the case “Working With Individuals With Disabilities: Valerie.” (Below)

Working With Clients With Disabilities:  Valerie 

Valerie is a 56-year-old, heterosexual, African American female. She receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and works part time at a credit card company as a telemarketer. She currently lives in an apartment alone but receives home attendant services for 5 hours a day. She lost her left leg when she was hit by a car and has a prosthesis. She uses a walker or an electric scooter to be ambulatory but generally prefers the scooter. She is slightly overweight, which makes using the walker more painful. She has been prescribed Zoloft® (100 mg per day) for general anxiety and has been taking it for almost 3 years. Valerie has a history of drug and alcohol abuse, although she has been drug free for 15 years. She has a core group of friends she has maintained a relationship with over the course of her lifetime, and although she does not see them as often as she would like, she keeps in touch over the phone and through email. She has no criminal background. Valerie came for services to address unresolved feelings related to an abusive marriage. She continued to be in contact with her ex-husband, John, although they had been divorced for almost 13 years. Valerie said that she and John had remained intimate since the separation and divorce and that John texted and called her to meet for sex. She felt torn because she believed no one else would want to date her due to her disability but also felt John was using her. She also stated that although he had stopped hitting her, he continued to be verbally abusive. She remained anxious and depressed and felt hopeless about the situation. Valerie said John abused alcohol and began using drugs in the first few years of their marriage. Unaware of his illicit drug use, Valerie arrived home from work early one day to surprise him and found him using cocaine. John attacked her and forced her to use cocaine as well. She relented due to her fear of continued assault. An ongoing pattern of drug use and physical assault persisted throughout their marriage. Valerie lost her left leg when she was walking across the street and was hit by a car, and she spent close to 9 months in the hospital.

Post an explanation of why our society has marginalized those with varying abilities historically. Then, explain the role of social workers in supporting clients with varying abilities (not limited to physical and mental) while recognizing and honoring those clients’ other identity characteristics. Use specific examples from the case study in your explanation.

The Gottman Method of Couple Therapy

The Gottman Method of couple therapy is firmly grounded in research on couple relationships. It is an integrative approach that incorporates elements of many different theories and therapy types (Gottman & Gottman, 2009). Underlying this therapy, and supported by decades of research, is the Sound Relationship House Theory. This theory outlines the seven building blocks that Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Swartz Gottman believe are the essential components of a sound relationship. Out of this theory, the Gottmans have developed assessments and interventions that counselors can use with couples to guide them toward better friendship, intimacy, positive affect, constructive ways of dealing with conflict, and the creation of shared meaning, which are all parts of the Sound Relationship House Theory.

For this Discussion, you concentrate not on treatment planning and specific interventions from the Gottman Method, but how it is different as a whole from the therapies and theories you have explored in this course and the unique opportunities that the method presents for integration.

Reference:
Gottman, J., & Gottman, J. S. (2009). Level I Bridging the couple chasm. Gottman couples therapy: A new research-based approach. A workshop for clinicians. Seattle, WA: The Gottman Institute.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 an explanation of how the Gottman Method of couple therapy and its underlying Sound Relationship House Theory differ from the therapies and theories you have studied thus far. Then, describe one quality or principle of the Gottman Method that presents opportunities for integration into your main theoretical orientation in your future practice. Be specific and explain.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

 

Learning Resources

This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To view this week’s embedded media resources, please use the streaming media players below.

Required Resources

Media

Note: To access this week’s required library videos, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

CBT:

• Video: Allyn & Bacon. (Publisher). (2002). Cognitive-behavioral child therapy [Motion picture]. [With Bruce Masek]. United States: Psychotherapy.net. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Video: Allyn & Bacon. (Publisher). (2000). Couples therapy for addictions: A cognitive-behavioral approach [Motion picture]. [With Barbara McCrady]. United States: Psychotherapy.net. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Gottman:

• Video: Gottman, J. M., & Gottman, J. S. (Producers). (2009). Gottman couples therapy: A new research-based approach: Our research methods. United States: The Gottman Institute.Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 10 minutes.Accessible player –Downloads–Download Transcript
• Video: Gottman, J. M., & Gottman, J. S. (Producers). (2009). Gottman couples therapy: A new research-based approach: Our research methods: The sound relationship house. United States: The Gottman Institute.Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 29 minutes.Accessible player –Downloads–Download Transcript

Readings

• Course Text: Gurman, A. S., Lebow, J. L., & Snyder, D.  (2015). Clinical handbook of couple therapy (5th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
  • Chapter 2, “Cognitive-Behavioral Couple Therapy”
  • Chapter 5, “Gottman Method Couple Therapy”
• Course Text: Theory-Based Treatment Planning for Marriage and Family Therapists
  • Chapter 9, “Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy”
• Article: Driver, J. L., & Gottman, J. M. (2004). Daily marital interactions and positive affect during marital conflict among newlywed couples. Family Process, 43(3), 301–314. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Article: Gottman, J. M., & Driver, J. L. (2005). Dysfunctional marital conflict and everyday marital interaction. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 43(3/4), 63–77. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Article: Smith, G. B., & Schwebel, A. I. (1995). Using a cognitive-behavioral family model in conjunction with systems and behavioral family therapy models. American Journal of FamilyTherapy, 23(3), 203–212. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Handout

• Gottman Method Couple Therapy

Optional Resources

Readings

• Book: Bitter, J. R., Long, L. L., & Young, M.E. (2010). Introduction to marriage, couple, and family counseling. Mason, OH: Cengage.
  • Chapter 13, “Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy”
• Book: Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999). The seven principles for making marriage work. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.
• Book: Gottman, J. S. (Ed.). (2004). The marriage clinic casebook. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Co.