What is the primary approach used in Gottman's therapeutic structure?

• A. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• B. Emotion Focused and Experiential
• C. Psychoanalysis
• D. Humanistic Therapy

Answer: (B)

Gottman's therapeutic structure centers on emotion-focused and experiential work. The main idea is to move change through the couple’s emotional life and real-time interaction, not just through talking about thoughts or solving surface problems. Emotion-focused work helps partners identify and express underlying feelings, attachment needs, and bids for connection, then respond with empathy, constructively manage conflicts, and practice repair when ruptures occur. Experiential elements bring in-session activities that reproduce the couple’s typical interactions, enabling them to feel and rehearse new ways of relating—like turning toward bids, increasing positive affect, and building shared meaning. This emphasis on deep emotional connection and hands-on practice is the hallmark of Gottman’s approach, rather than a primary focus on cognitive strategies, unconscious analysis, or strictly humanistic ideals.