Why We Don’t Recommend Couples Counseling for Abusive Relationships

Abuse is not a relationship problem. It is a problem of power and control that must be the first priority. The abused person must achieve safety first, and the abuser must enter a program that deals with his or her own abusive behaviors. Accountability and willing commitment must be at play for the abuser. If not, counseling only results in manipulation, intimidation, and isolation for the abused. Couples’ counseling for people dealing with abuse is a distraction from the real unhealthy and damaging patterns of the abuser. Usually couples counseling becomes a game for an abuser, attempting to use the sessions as a play to win over the therapist, to justify and minimize the abuse.

Read the full article here: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | Why We Don’t Recommend Couples Counseling for Abusive Relationships