New York City, New York (WiredPRNews.com) — For many couples on the brink of divorce, the only option seems to cash in the chips and walk away from the table. However, according to a recent study, which appeared in the April issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, an American Psychological Association publication, showed that couples therapy offers promising results for struggling couples.
Andrew Christensen, a UCLA professor of psychology and lead author of the study stated, “It takes only one person to end a marriage but two people to make it work.”
The study was the longest and most comprehensive clinical trial of couple therapy ever conducted, study consisted of 134 married couples, 71 in Los Angeles and 63 in Seattle. Most of the couples were in their 30’s and 40’s, and just over half had children. The study’s couples had to be “chronically, seriously distressed” and engaged in recurrent fights, but also were looking to save their marriage.
After completing two different types of therapy sessions, traditional behavioral couple therapy and integrative behavioral couple therapy, approximately two-thirds of the couples showed a marked overall clinical improvement. Five years following the completion of the therapy, half of the couples reported significant improvement compared to the beginning of the study. About a quarter of the couples were separated or divorced, and the last quarter remained unchanged.
Researchers say that in order for therapy to be effective, both spouses must be willing to stay dedicated and committed to saving their union, meaning taking on their share of the work and avoiding blame.
If therapy does not prove successful in a marriage, YS Mediation and conflict resolution center can help end an unhappy marriage. Divorce mediation is a way for couples that have already endured long, tiring battles to peacefully end their marriage instead of continuing the battle in court.
The divorce mediator, who is also a lawyer, assists with divorce settlements, and even custody agreements; saving couples from spending an unnecessary amount of money on high priced lawyers. Contact YS Mediation for a private consultation and take the first step to freedom from a typical, high cost divorce.
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