When Problems Paradoxically Hold a Couple Together
Psychology Today | 17.07.2026 21:36
In my couples therapy work, it is not uncommon to encounter relationships that appear stuck. Symptoms or problems persist despite intervention. Conflicts recur despite insight. While the severity of distress and external stressors are often cited as explanations, psychoanalytic theory has long pointed to another, less visible factor: the advantages that accompany suffering.