| 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 occurred 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 6, the client reports that her homework to track negative and positive events has shown more positive events than she anticipated. Vernon reviews the weak areas of the marriage and suggests the client continue the experiment to gather data on the good and bad areas of the relationship. Vernon and the client review the way her thoughts contribute to anxieties that keep her stuck. The client agrees to continue the experiment as a way to gather the evidence she needs for her decision.
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