Couples therapy offered

Nearly 20 years ago at the University of Washington in Seattle, psychology professor Dr. Amy Holtzworth-Munroe learned the Behavior Couples Therapy theory from her adviser who had helped develop it. Now, as an expert in marital relationships, she is guiding IU psychology Ph.D. students in this same behavioral approach. \nUnder the supervision of Holtzworth-Munroe, students in the clinical Ph.D. program are offering couples therapy for people in and around the Bloomington community. Open to married, dating, heterosexual and homosexual people, the therapy aims at improving relationships by teaching two crucial relationship skills: communication and problem-solving.\nPh.D. student and therapist Uzma Rehman worked in the clinic two years ago. She said the basic premise of the Behavior Couples Therapy theory is to help couples acquire skills to solve conflicts and prevent escalation. \n"We're not doing this for money," Rehman said. "I don't think most people would find this quality of therapy for this price."\nEach session costs $5. \n"Some therapists will charge up to $90 per session," Holtzworth-Munroe said. "We're probably the cheapest place (students) can get therapy."\nIn addition to the cost-efficiency of the therapy, Holzworth-Munroe and Rehman said, the theory being used has been proven effective through a tremendous amount of research. \n"You're being helped using a model that research has shown to be effective," Rehman said. "Overall, marital satisfaction improves for over two-thirds of the couples in therapy." \nAlthough Ph.D. student and therapist Nicole Merritt hasn't performed therapy before, she has been studying the methods behind the theory. \n"It's a very empirically based approach," Merritt said. "It's not something we just came up with. It's shown to have beneficial effects." \nThrough Behavior Couples Therapy, people learn helpful relationship skills. Holtzworth-Munroe said the cause of most problems in a relationship are communication and interaction difficulties, not problems with the individual. \n"If you think you're going be in a relationship and never disagree, you're disillusioned," Holztworth-Munroe said. She said it's more a matter of learning to resolve problems in a healthy manner. \nWith six therapists, each seeing about two to four cases per semester, Holtzworth-Munroe said the therapy sessions give the Ph.D. students a hands-on approach with a theory proven effective through nearly 30 studies. \nIn a study in which couples who weren't having any difficulties went through therapy, Holtzworth-Munroe said results showed divorce rates were much lower.\n"We teach couples how to problem solve and focus on remembering to do positive things," Holtzworth-Munroe said. \nMerritt said the skills she learns through these therapy sessions, are quite portable. "It's something you can keep updating with new research. Its structure is particularly strong."\nDuring the first session, couples meet together with a therapist. The second session, they meet with the therapist individually. Until the third session, they don't have to commit to the program. The total number of therapy sessions ranges from 8 to 30. \n"We're not bringing couples in here and telling them what's wrong," Holtzworth-Munroe said. "We don't impose our values upon them."\nStudents interested in attending couples therapy sessions can contact the Psychology Clinic at 855-2311.