Chicago Center for Family Health, IL, USA.
Fam Process. 2011 Sep;50(3):337-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2011.01364.x.
Couples in distressed relationships often get caught up in power struggles, "Power Over" interactions that are informed by both neurobiology (e.g., the fight-flight reaction) and by cultural assumptions (e.g., competition, individualism, and patriarchy). This article seeks to widen the discourse about power by highlighting "Power To" and "Power With." Power To includes the ability to self-regulate, to read and manage one's own emotions, and to have voice while respecting the other's voice. Power With reflects the couple's commitment to conurture the relationship through empathy, respect, and generosity. Power To and Power With are proposed to constitute relational empowerment, the ability to navigate one's inner world and the interpersonal realm. The neurobiology of both couples' reactivity and relational empowerment are considered. Techniques are offered to facilitate Power To and Power With, interventions that interrupt couples' cycles of reactivity and allow them to make more thoughtful choices. Emotion regulation and empathy are particularly important skills of relational empowerment, and examples are offered to increase these capacities in couple therapy. The therapeutic perspective offered in this article challenges cultural practices and assumptions that keep intimate partners polarized in power struggles, and explores how relational empowerment can foster an egalitarian, mutually respectful relationship.
处于困境关系中的夫妻常常陷入权力斗争中，这种“权力凌驾”的互动受到神经生物学（例如，战斗或逃跑反应）和文化假设（例如，竞争、个人主义和父权制）的影响。本文旨在通过强调“权力赋予”和“权力合作”来拓宽关于权力的讨论。权力赋予包括自我调节、阅读和管理自己情绪的能力，以及在尊重对方声音的同时表达自己的声音的能力。权力合作反映了夫妻双方通过同理心、尊重和慷慨来共同塑造关系的承诺。权力赋予被认为是夫妻双方在人际关系中导航自己的内心世界和人际领域的能力。本文还考虑了夫妻双方反应性和关系赋权的神经生物学。本文提供了促进权力赋予的技术，这些干预措施可以打断夫妻之间的反应循环，使他们能够做出更深思熟虑的选择。情绪调节和同理心是关系赋权的特别重要的技能，本文提供了一些示例来增加夫妻治疗中的这些能力。本文提供的治疗观点挑战了使亲密伴侣在权力斗争中两极化的文化实践和假设，并探讨了关系赋权如何促进平等、相互尊重的关系。
