Speaking for Yourself: A Core Practice in Dialogue Therapy for Couples.

One of the most quietly radical ideas in couples therapy is also one of the simplest: speak for yourself. In Dialogue Therapy, this principle is not merely a communication skill—it is the ethical and emotional backbone of the work. Many couples arrive in therapy locked in a familiar loop. One partner speaks about the other (“You always…,” “You never…”), while the other becomes defensive, withdrawn, or counterattacks. Dialogue Therapy interrupts this cycle by asking partners to return to their own inner ground.