A Follow-up Study in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy of Couples

Abstract

During 11 years we have been working on a research involving intervention with families seeking treatment in a counseling center-school and whose complaints are focused on their children. Using psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the couples, we have tried to achieve symptom remission in the children. The purpose of this study is to reflect on the maintenance, over time, o f the psychological changes obtained in this kind of clinical pract ice, wh ich encompasses both couples and families. Based on clinical-qualitative methodology and case study, two cases have been examined, with emphasis on the follow-up sessions for two couples who were undergoing psychoanalytic couple's therapy for thirty-six and thirty months, respectively, with t wo additional fo ll ow -up sessions after the therapy was finished. The collection of clinical material to be analy zed according to the psychoanalytic references was made using excerpts fro m the session written notes taken by the therapist herself immed iately after the sessions were over. As a result, this kind of intervention proved effective in clarifying latent marital conflicts and in fostering a healthy environment, one that could contribute to the emotional development of the child.