Working Systemically With the Legacies of Interpersonal Violence: A Case Study of Couples Therapy

This article describes our attachment narrative approach to systemic couples therapy in which we help couples repair their relationship in the aftermath once the physical violence has stopped. Using a case study example from therapeutic practice, this article outlines the complex legacies of interpersonal violence for couple relationships, such as unresolved trauma responses and losses, lingering fears, shame and humiliation, responsibility for safety and harm, forgiveness, apology and reconciliation, the meaning of love, and commitment and hope for the future. Helping couples stop the violence is often the first part of the therapy (Vetere, 2011). If a couple choose to stay together, they need support to confront these complex legacies and the impact on their development and that of their children, as part of a process of healing.