The following five core principals of therapy will be utilized when working with couples. The goal is to openly express feelings, change the view of the relationship, modify behavior, decrease avoidance, and improve overall communication. Therapist will be sure to continuously assess for safety, at all times. Therapist will make appropriate referrals as deemed necessary. A commitment to attending each session and a willingness to challenge thoughts and work on identified problem areas will be the key components to a successful therapeutic partnership. 

1. Changes the views of the relationship. Throughout the therapeutic process, the therapist attempts to help both partners see the relationship in a more objective manner. They learn to stop the "blame game" and instead look at what happens to them in a process involving each partner. 

2. Modifies dysfunctional behavior. Effective couples’ therapists attempt to change the way that the partners actually behave with each other. This means that in addition to helping them improve their interactions, therapists also need to ensure that their clients are not engaging in actions that can cause physical, psychological, or economic harm. 

3. Decreases emotional avoidance. Couples who avoid expressing their private feelings put themselves at greater risk of becoming emotionally distant and growing apart. Effective couples’ therapists help their clients bring out the emotions and thoughts that they fear expressing to the other person. Attachment Based couples therapy allows the partners to feel less afraid of expressing their needs for closeness. 

4. Improves communication. Being able to communicate is one of the "three C’s" of intimacy. All effective couple’s therapies focus on helping the partners to communicate more effectively. Building on principles change in view, behavior modification, decrease avoidance. Communication should not be abusive, nor should partners ridicule each other when they do express their true feelings. Couples may, therefore, require coaching to learn how to speak to each other in more supportive and understanding ways. 

5. Promotes strengths. Couples therapists point out the strengths in the relationship and build resilience particularly as therapy nears a close. Because so much of the therapy process involves focusing on problem areas, it's easy to lose sight of the other areas in which couples function effectively. The point of promoting strength is to help the couple derive more enjoyment out of their relationship.