| Summary: | Ann Vernon works with a woman who is trying to decide whether to divorce her husband after many years of putting up with behavior that she describes as selfish, impulsive, and disregarding of family needs. She has learned to voice her concerns but has developed a pattern of "giving in," which leads to an absence of consequences and her feeling of being a "pushover." The marriage has been strained by her husband's infidelity, which occured two years ago, and by repeated financial setbacks, including evictions that have forced the family to move in first with the woman's sister and then with her mother. The woman is presently working two jobs, finishing her BA degree, and caring for two children. Her husband is self-employed and helps with family duties. In Session 4, the client reports on her homework assignment to assert herself with her husband. She was assertive, but he did not heed her wishes. Vernon explores the client's pattern of asking her husband to leave and not following through. The client attributes this "being stuck" to fear of hurting him and anxiety about the future. Vernon and the client focus on those feelings and imagine ways to lessen their intensity. As homeowrk, Vernon asks the client to make a timeline of the relationship, identifying peak and low experiences along the way.
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