4MAT Book Critique
Hadley Willson
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Author Note
Hadley Willson
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Hadley Willson. Email:
hewillson@liberty.edu.
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Summary
In their book, Couple Therapy: A New Hope-focused Approach, Jennifer S. Ripley and
Everett L. Worthington Jr. (2014) discuss the importance of hope and virtue in relationships,
especially when seeking to reconcile, heal, and restore hurting and broken marriages. The
authors divide the book into five main sections: “A Theory of Change,” “Beginning Counseling,”
Case Studies in Treatment Planning,” “Interventions Within the Sessions,” “Conquering the
Difficulties You’ll Face,” and “Concluding Treatment.” In the first part, Ripley and Worthington
(2014) present their own twist on the classic Hope-focused Marriage Counseling (2005)
approach, which utilizes a variety of both secular techniques and interventions with a biblical
twist. Second, the authors consider the importance of setting goals for the beginning stages of
couple counseling, for the first few intake sessions can be overwhelming. They offer pre-
counseling interventions, helpful tips for conducting the intake, and questions to ask oneself to
determine if the Hope-focused Counseling Approach is suitable for the couple in need. Next,
Ripley and Worthington (2014) summarize nine different cases involving couples in need. By
doing so, they hope to equip therapists, students, and even couples with practical and research-
based treatment techniques on a case-by-case level. In their next section, which the authors
describe at “the heart of the book” (Ripley & Worthington, 2014, p. 197), they provide an
assortment of multi-step skills and behavior-based interventions, often using acronyms for the
names (i.e. HOPE [Handling Our Problems Effectively] interventions, FREE [Forgiving and
Reconciling Through Experiencing Empathy] Interventions). The fifth part of the book reviews
some common difficulties couple counselors may face, such as resistance, roadblocks, rabbit
trails, trauma history, and pornography use (Ripley & Worthington, 2014), and the authors offer
effective practices in handling these situations. In their final section, Ripley and Worthington
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(2014) summarize the contents of their book, while also encouraging their reader that counseling
can end well.
Concrete Reflection
Ripley and Worthington (2014) briefly discussed Emotion-focused Couple Therapy
(EFCT), which “emphasizes the brain biology of repeated interpersonal experiences” (p. 34). In
other words, the brain sometimes unconsciously creates a “complex web of fear and anger-
based
emotional responses to intimate relationships” (Ripley & Worthington, 2014, p. 34) via the
rumination of past offenses. Thus, EFCT’s aim is to encourage emotional softening and
strengthen secure attachment between partners. This clinical approach to counseling also
focuses
on developing and maintaining healthy attachment styles between romantic partners. By
improving the connection and increasing intimacy (not just sexually) within the relationship, the
couple can unlearn unhealthy attachments habits and grow into a healthy attachment style.
As someone who has experienced a significant amount of relational trauma, I struggle
with having Fearful-Avoidant attachment style tendencies (Ripley & Worthington, 2014, p. 241).
While I desire intimacy and belonging, I also fear abandonment and getting hurt. Consequently, I
tend to push people away when they seem to be getting too close emotionally, and I convince
myself I do not need their closeness to function or be happy. Even though there is some truth in
that statement, it is also important for me to remember that God made humans for community
(Genesis 2:18; Proverbs 13:20; John 13:34; Colossians 1:24). Due to my fearful-avoidant
attachment tendencies, I struggled to fully trust my significant other in the beginning months of
our relationship, and I really wrestled with accepting his past and forgiving him. However, my
partner and I have practiced some of Ripley and Worthington’s (2014) BOND Interventions (pp.
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243-265). We still have healing and growing ahead of us on our journey together, but we are
hopeful that through God’s perfect love and grace and with intentional work, we can deepen our
intimacy, resulting in a healthier and happier relationship.
Critique
Although Ripley and Worthington’s book is well-written, clinically and biblically based,
and enjoyable to read, it also has a couple areas in which it could improve. The first area of
improvement is their limited discussion on providing effective marriage counseling rooted in
biblical truths. In their second chapter, the authors claim that “diversity matters” (Ripley &
Worthington, 2014, p. 35). However, they did not expand on how their Hope-focused Counseling
Approach would affect people from diverse backgrounds. While they briefly analyzed the case of
an African American couple (Ripley & Worthington, 2014, p. 35), focusing on ethnicity and
cultural differences, they neglected to include other facets of diversity, such as socioeconomic
status. For example, Ripley and Worthington (2014) suggested couples struggling with emotional
intimacy spend quality time together. Yet, how would this specific suggestion be applicable to a
military couple, in which one partner is deployed for an extended period of time?
In addition, further information on how their Hope-focused Counseling Approach affects
couples in which one or both partners have experienced relational trauma or crisis would be
beneficial. The authors encourage their readers to “adjust for trauma,” but they did not offer
insight on how to adjust for trauma or in what ways a counselor should adjust for specific
traumas. For instance, how would a clinically based and biblical approach to marriage
counseling benefit couples with history of intimate partner abuse, whether it be physical, mental,
emotional, or sexual?
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Application
After reading and meditating on Couple Therapy: A New Hope-Focused Approach by
Ripley and Worthington (2014), it has become evident that growing in one’s self-awareness is
imperative in the work and ministry of counseling. There will be many difficult conversations
and heartbreaking stories. As such, it is vital for the counselor to be aware of how their own
experience of relationship hurt and trauma may affect how they understand couples’ stories, how
they react to their feelings, and how they counsel couples in need. In addition, communication is
essential to a loving, thriving relationship (Ripley & Worthington, 2014, p. 153). To grow in their
communication skills, couples must put in work, which the authors describe as “putting energy
into maintaining and improving [the] relationship” (Ripley & Worthington, 2014, p. 101).
To grow in my self-awareness so I may more faithfully and effectively offer pastoral
counseling to couples, I will lean into the discomfort of difficult conversations with my
significant other, rather than shying away and shutting him out. In addition, I will continue
seeking counsel from both a professional therapist and spiritual mentors. My partner and I will
also continue practicing some of Ripley and Worthington’s (2014) BOND Interventions, taking
notes on what and does not work. By understanding how certain strategies work from
experience, along with studying available research, I can better discern which may work best
different couples in need.
In conclusion, Ripley and Worthington (2014) have demonstrated that effective couple
counseling can include both clinical research and biblical truths. It does not have to be one or the
other. However, it is important to remember that true biblical hope is vital to marriage (Ripley &
Worthington, 2014, pp. 32-33), regardless if the couple identifies as Christian or not.
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References
Ripley, Jennifer S. & Worthington Jr., Everett L. (2014). Couple Therapy: A New Hope-Focused
Approach. InterVarsity Press.
The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Biblica, Inc.
