Integrative behavioral couple therapy for chronic pain: Promoting behavior change and emotional acceptance

Abstract

Couple therapy has been used with success in treating marital distress, psychological distress, and other problems. Researchers in the pain field have also shown that the inclusion of the spouse in pain treatment may be beneficial to the patient. In this article, we present integrative behavioral couple therapy (IBCT) as one option for therapists treating patients who have pain and marital distress. IBCT improves on traditional behavior therapy because it promotes processes that have been shown to be lacking in pain patients' relationships: emotional acceptance and empathy. After reviewing the use of behavior change and emotional acceptance strategies in couples, we describe a couple for whom IBCT improved functioning.