A satisfying sexual relationship is part of every truly
happy marriage. It can be achieved by any physically and emotionally healthy
man and wife who care for each other. This word about psychiatric treatment
when it is needed for marital problems: Modern psychiatry recognizes that the
fragmenting forces in marriage are much like those in any human interaction.
Jealousies, fears, anxieties, tensions are universal. Within the intimacy of
marriage, how- ever, such emotions can all too easily reach intolerable levels.
Seldom is a marriage in trouble through the sole fault of one partner. Both
partners -and a third factor, the marriage itself-usually need therapy. In
recognition of this, modern psychiatric treatment for marital trouble primarily
seeks to treat both partners.
There are several commonly used forms of
treatment: successive therapy of husband and wife; concurrent therapy, i.e.,
simultaneous treatment of both partners by the same therapist but at different
times; conjoint therapy, i.e., simultaneous treatment of both partners in joint
sessions; collaborative therapy, i.e., with a separate therapist for each
partner; group therapy of various types; and family therapy oriented mainly
toward the parental relationship.
In marital therapy, there is opportunity for
both husband and wife to learn alternative patterns of behavior to replace
those which have caused distress. With successful treatment, children are
likely to benefit significantly. And it should be added that, as the two
partners themselves learn to give and receive more positively and adequately in
their marriage relationship, they may also increase their capacities for
obtaining rich emotional and other rewards from interactions with the world at
large.
