Free Couples Counseling in Los Angeles

Licensed therapist looking for couples to participate in research project

Steven C. Kassel, located in Los Angeles, California, a Marriage and Family Therapist who has been certified in biofeedback for 25 years, has created a hybrid therapy that is hypothesized to benefit marital satisfaction and decrease psychophysiological reactivity. His current research project has openings for couples.

Marriage counseling and biofeedback therapies are traditionally handled as separate interventions, yet this study examines the additive therapeutic effect of two existing evidence-based techniques, utilizing a software program that Thought Technology, Ltd. helped him design, which will display physiologic parameters such as breathing, heart rate, sweat gland activity, heart rate variability and hand temperature, as well as audio and video monitoring of the couple during the study sessions. The therapist will have the ability to stop and replay recordings in order to demonstrate changes in physiology to the couples. The study hypothesizes that study subjects will be able to learn to modify their physiologic reactions and thereby improve communications, especially when discussing emotionally charged issues with their intimate partner.

The aim of this study is one of directed therapy, to focus on the process of how couples talk to one another and how to better resolve conflicts, rather than to simply talk about burning issues in the relationship. If further therapy is required to expand on specific relational issues, subjects will be referred back to their original therapist. Couples will be educated to aspects of "fight or flight" responses as they relate interpersonally, taught relaxation and communication skills, work with direct feedback to learn to control physiology, and will have a lot of practice with feedback displays while they engage in conversation.

There will be no financial compensation for participating in this study, as this is a non-funded research project, and no charge will be made for these sessions. Involvement for the full 10 sessions is a commitment that will be much appreciated and, we anticipate will be of benefit to the couples involved.

For more information, please contact Steven C. Kassel, MFT, BCIA-c at s@kassel.us or (661) 259-3704