Contact and Relational Needs in Couple Therapy: An Integrative Psychotherapy Perspective

In any relationship, healthy or unhealthy, relational needs are experienced by the partners. In this paper, we describe eight major relational needs that arise in couple relationships. When these needs are not responded to, the relationship becomes increasingly toxic and is likely to go through predictable stages of dysfunction. Intervention strategies are suggested, based on the relationship�s progression through these stages; and specific intervention techniques are described.