Couples therapy/therapeutic techniques for couples who have experienced extra marital affairs Free Essay Example, 2500 words

Recently marriage has become a national issue of public policy in the United States. The Bush Administration has proposed that the Federal government dedicate $300 million a year as part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to "help couples form and sustain healthy marriages. " Proposed legislation focuses on eight allowable activities: 1. Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health. 2. Education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting. 3. Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs, which may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement, for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers. 4. Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or individuals interested in marriage. 5. Marriage enhancement and marriage skill s training programs for married couples. 6. Divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills. 7. Marriage mentoring programs, which use married couples as role models and mentors. 8. Programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in means-tested aid programs, if offered in conjunction with any activity described in this subparagraph. Source: Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2003.We will write a custom essay sample on Couples therapy/therapeutic techniques for couples who have experienced extra marital affairs or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now H. R.4.IH Even though there is a strong norm in society against extramarital sexual relationships (Treas & Giesen, 2000), sexual affairs are a problem in many marriages. Recent national studies have found that nearly one-quarter of husbands and more than one in ten wives has had extramarital sex at some point during their marriage (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, & Michaels, 1994). For example, Wiederman (1997) reported that 22.7% of married men and 11.6% of women had extramarital sex during their marriage. These percentages include 4.1% of men and 1.7% of women who had sex outside of marriage within the last 12 months. Reasons or Circumstances for Extramarital Affairs An affair is a sexual participation with someone other than the spouse, which is hidden from the spouse. The affair is an indication of problems in the marital relationship. The discovery of the affair precipitates a crisis in the marriage. The most intimidating aspect is not the affair itself, but the feelings of betrayal and helplessness. Affairs presume a wide variety of forms and are conducted in many creative ways.