Abstract
Hope is believed to be influential to therapeutic change. However, no studies have explored couples’ experiences of hope during participation in a reflecting team process. This exploratory case study attends to this gap in the research literature. Three couples reported on their experiences of hope in relation to participating in the reflecting team process as part of their couple therapy. Themes related to hope were identified during three separate stages of the intervention: anticipating, participating in, and debriefing the reflecting team process. Reflecting team experiences related to hope included: seeking new perspectives, maintaining a positive momentum, identifying strengths, normalizing difficulties, presenting inspiring possibilities, providing support, highlighting growth, and strengthening resolve. These findings serve as a foundation for attending to clients’ hope as an active force during the reflecting team process.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Dennis Brown, EDPY 635 students, and clients who made this research possible. The first and second authors would also like to acknowledge scholarships received from CIHR and SSHRC, respectively.
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Egeli, N.A., Brar, N., Larsen, D. et al. Couples’ Experiences of Hope When Participating in the Reflecting Team Process: A Case Study. Contemp Fam Ther 36, 93–107 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-013-9280-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-013-9280-4