Citation

Jory B, Anderson D. J. Marital Fam. Ther. 2000; 26(3): 329-340.

Affiliation

Department of Family Studies, Berry College, Mount Berry, GA 30149-5011, USA. bjory@berryedu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10934679

Abstract

This article presents an exploratory approach to couples therapy for abuse based on intimate justice theory. The article explains "the accountability axiom," which brings the relationship between the anguish of abuse and the anguish of accountability into focus. Understanding the accountability axiom can help therapists simultaneously engage both the victim of abuse and the abuser by creating two therapeutic environments in conjoint therapy--one environment that affirms the victim and one that challenges the abuser. The ideas are based on a qualitative study conducted by the authors, and the approach is illustrated with a clinical case involving psychological abuse.

Language: en