Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Practice Exam

Which type of therapy explicitly recognizes and changes interaction patterns within intimate relationships?

1. Behavioral Therapy

2. Complementarity Therapy

3. Emotionally Focused Therapy

4. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The correct answer is: Complementarity Therapy

The correct choice focuses on the therapeutic approach that explicitly addresses and modifies interaction patterns within intimate relationships. Complementarity Therapy is designed to explore the dynamics between partners, emphasizing how individual behaviors can influence each other's responses and overall relationship functioning. This approach works by understanding the play of roles and how one partner's actions complement or oppose the other's, leading to either constructive or destructive patterns in the relationship. In the context of intimate relationships, this therapy emphasizes the significance of understanding the relational dynamics, which can often lead to cycles of conflict or harmony. By highlighting these patterns, the therapist helps the couple recognize unhealthy interactions and guides them toward developing healthier, more constructive ways of relating to one another. Other therapeutic approaches mentioned may touch upon interactions to some degree but do not specifically focus on modifying the relational patterns as the central element of their practice. Behavioral Therapy largely focuses on specific behaviors and their consequences, often using reinforcement techniques rather than addressing broader relationship dynamics. Emotionally Focused Therapy emphasizes emotional bonding and attachment, and while it does look at patterns in relationships, the primary aim is to enhance emotional connections rather than directly modify interaction styles. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy generally centers on individual thought patterns and cognitive distortions rather than the dynamics between partners in a relational context.