The use of controlled punishment and ritual in couples therapy

Couples who come into therapy with amorphous symptoms often reveal later in treatment that there has been a traumatic event that occurred in the past and that has lingered as a significant disturbance to intimacy. No amount of “talk therapy�? or insight seems to allow these couples to move past the point of emotional treachery. This activity is designed to allow these couples a vehicle for putting the past to rest in a way that allows them to continue their relationship without resentment, revenge, or continual pain. © 1998 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Journal Abbreviation: The Therapist's Noteb.: Homework, Handouts, and Activities for Use in Psychotherapy