Using Initiator-Inquirer to Support Growth in Couples

One of the reasons I find the Initiator-Inquirer process especially valuable in our work with couples is that it exposes so much about where they are developmentaly. It helps us see the cutting edge of their development and reveals ways we can challenge each of them to work at their growth edges.

Now if you are unfamiliar with the Initiator-Inquirer Process, you can find out more about it here.

As you use this process, it’s important to learn how to look at what your clients’ edges are. What are the places where they fall apart with each other when you’re not around?

For example, I often see couples who are stuck because they lack the self-capacity to allow one of the partners to come forward. In cases like these, much of the work comes in helping each of them see how they contribute to the stuck place.

Let’s say you are working with a couple who has been fighting a lot. One partner is extremely volatile, while the other is incredibly passive-aggressive.

As you begin teaching Initiator-Inquirer to clients who are passive or passive-aggressive, you’ll likely see that they only know how to talk about their desires in terms of what they don’t want. They have a very hard time standing behind their desires in terms of what they do want. When they attempt to describe what they do want, they can find themselves feeling very shaky internally.

For clients whose initiation isn’t solid, it may be very difficult for them to be present, come forward, and know what it is they actually want to express. They may be getting stuck at the very first step of going internal, self-defining, and figuring out what is important to them.

This can be especially true when previous attempts to articulate their desires have been met with anger from parents and their partner.

When somebody has a shaky internal core, when they’re unsure and have trouble defining themselves, so often the way it gets figured out is with somebody who slows down and takes the time to help them process out loud. When you enable them to process out loud, you are helping them figure out where the ground is that they are standing on. And sometimes, they realize that where they started isn’t the authentic core they were trying to express.

So, when I see a client struggling in the initiator role, I might say something like this:

You just acknowledged that you feel really unsure of yourself when you bring things up. What would it be like to take a little more time and see if you can figure out what it is you want to say, or what it is you’re trying to communicate? Let’s see if you can figure that out, or let’s see if we can figure that out together so that you and your partner both know what it is you’re really talking about. Because it does feel so uncertain to you.

This is where support becomes crucial. When your client actually does come forward with something that’s real, present, and authentic, it’s so important to support and underline that step.

Many partners don’t see their progress and what they’ve done that is effective. It’s worth the time, the attention, and the care to acknowledge their successes, and literally get what they’re each contributing to that success.

What we’re working toward are incremental wins. We want to be able to describe the growth edges very specifically and stroke them a lot so the couple can see them clearly as well.

Something else to keep in mind is that, anytime your client is in the initiator role, you want to do as much as you can to be sure he or she gets a good, solid initiation before the partner starts to ask a lot of questions. Because if you don’t know what’s initiated, you won’t know what’s real and authentic.

What can often happen is that, when one partner is shaky in initiation, the partner in the inquirer role can jump in too quickly, asking leading questions that shift the dynamic away from what’s real for the initiator. It’s important to pay attention to whether the line of questioning is helping the partner stay with himself or move toward reacting to his partner.

When you teach Initiator-Inquirer, make it clear that some sessions will be focused primarily on one partner at a time. This can be a challenge, especially when you work with competitive, volatile or very needy partners. The partner who is not the focus may have a hard time trying to contain the desire to tell their side of the story.

But what you’re teaching your client is an important skill they’ll need moving forward – the skill of delay. This is a small, yet crucial step toward learning to stay open and be with their partner, even when they have different perspectives. You’re helping them build that emotional muscle.

Now I’d like to hear from you. How could you use some of these ideas in your work with couples? Please leave a comment and let me know.

You can get a pack of 25 Initiator-Inquirer guide cards  to give to clients when they are learning and practicing the I-I process. Many therapists emphasize that the cards provide a needed anchor for their clients and are their secret ingredient for success with the process.

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Dr. Ellyn Bader

Dr. Ellyn Bader is Co-Founder & Director of The Couples Institute and creator of The Developmental Model of Couples Therapy. Ellyn is widely recognized as an expert in couples therapy, and since 2006 she has led innovative online training programs for therapists. Professionals from around the world connect with her through internet, conference calls and blog discussions to study couples therapy. Ellyn’s first book, "In Quest of the Mythical Mate," won the Clark Vincent Award by the California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists for its outstanding contribution to the field of marital therapy and is now in its 18th printing. She has been featured on over 50 radio and television programs including "The Today Show" and "CBS Early Morning News," and she has been quoted in many publications including "The New York Times," "The Oprah Magazine" and "Cosmopolitan."

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