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I write this commentary from my perspective as a group analyst and psychoanalytic psychotherapist with a past working experience of family therapy. I usually work with a co-therapist, which I prefer and which I think is preferable when working with couples. I see my theoretical perspective as based on theories of psychoanalytic couple therapy espoused by the Tavistock Institute of Marital Studies, the practice of group analysis of S.H. Foulkes and its development in work with families, couples and couples groups by A.C.R. Skinner. I am also influenced by family systems theory.
The session started with an interesting observation about the couple coming out of the lift, someone else in front of them: ‘This was extraordinarily perturbing’. It was not mentioned by the therapists again. Could it have been something to do with what was ultimately revealed to be Mrs Smith's concern, her husband's past suspected affair? My co-therapy partner's hypothesis was that it had to do with the couple's possible infertility; here was the unconceived baby in front of them at the lift.
One of my frustrations about the report was hearing nothing about the therapists' communications either during the session to each other, discussion after it or reported countertransference.
As you may have noted above co-therapy partners not only experience things differently but have different views, hear the material from varying perspectives according to their various qualities, experience, gender etc. In the case of this report a fruitful discussion ensued.
To my male partner the Smiths' keeping ‘at different ends of the house’, Mr Smith being ‘occupied’ (pre-occupied) ‘re-arranging the shelving’, ‘recharging himself’, his sensitive reactions to his wife over the phone: ‘what have I done?’ or ‘what have I not been able to do?’, all of this suggested the possibility that the couple were infertile, blaming each other and themselves. I had wondered about sexual difficulties underlying their conf