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This paper will describe a community mental health program conducted at the Flushing Hospital Mental Health Clinic. It was part of a larger complex of programs dealing with problems of marriage, divorce, the children of broken homes, and issues related to family survival. Our material and conclusions are based on six short-term therapy groups, of eight weeks each, for 1 1/2-hour per week sessions, held between 1975 and 1977. A total of 27 couples completed each eight-week program.
On an experimental basis, some series were directed by one therapist, others by either male and female or two male co-therapists. Overall, the group sessions were found by the therapists to beexciting and rewarding therapeutic experiences. Considerable therapeutic success was apparently achieved. As a result of our excitement, we began to discuss and theorize—including doing a study of present literature—on the reasons for our apparent success. We are here presenting some of the theoretical framework that we believe can best explain our efforts and outcomes. We shall then describe some of the techniques we used, which were related to theory and empirical need. Finally, we shall briefly describe the outcome of our work.
We consider a “marital relationship”—regardless of its quality—to exist only if there is some degree of equilibrium between the marital partners. The equilibrium consists of the presence of communication, support, an emotional relationship, and supplying of emotional needs between the marital members. As long as the equilibrium is maintained by both partners, the marital unit goes on existing. If a disequilibrium between marital partners takes place, then the flow of information, support, and emotional relations are distorted or cease. At the moment of disequilibrium, the marital unit is in jeopardy and a new equilibrium must be established or the marriage will end.
A marital unit consists of two individuals and the relationship they create. The nature of this marital unit is i