In this second installment of Therapists’ Take on the dark side of couples therapy, Dr. Shannon Dial and Whitney Alexander rejoin us to push the conversation even further. While couples therapy is often seen as a pathway to healing, not every situation—or every client dynamic—fits neatly into that frame. This episode shines a light on the places where couples therapy can actually backfire, enabling harm instead of helping.
From the subtle timing of emotional wounds to the dangerous potential of ignoring abuse, our guests unpack the tough realities that therapists, couples, and even individuals need to face when entering the therapy room. Together, we wrestle with hard questions: When is neutrality dangerous? How can therapists unwitting be complicit in abuse cycles? And when does the “couple’s problem” framework itself become part of the problem?
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00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Assessing Abuse
04:00 - The Timing of the Wounding
06:40 - The Problem with Agendas
09:00 - Is "Part of the Problem" Part of the Problem?
12:50 - Deciphering Sociopathy in Couples
15:18 - The Part that Is Complicit
22:10 - Using Couples Therapy as a Crutch
42:56 - Practical Takeaways-ish
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Why I Hate Your Podcast (article) - this is related to the discussion from the Part 1 intro.
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About our guests:
We’re thrilled to be joined by Dr. Shannon Dial, LMFT, from Family Solutions Counseling in Oklahoma City, and Whitney Alexander, LMFT, EMDR Consultant, and owner of the Warren-Alexander Group in Stillwater.
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