Bible Verses that Heal
Coaptive Therapy is a healing intervention for couples, developed by Dr. W. David Lane and Dr. Donna E. Lane. The word "coapt", most often used in the context of medical/surgical procedures, means to join or bind together both sides of a wound as in suturing. Coaptive Therapy focuses on joining two wounded individuals as support for each other in the healing of personal wounds. This model is supported by the research of Susan M. Johnson (1989-1998), who proposed using couples therapy as part of treatment for abuse survivors with the partner acting as a support agent, and by the writing of Dr. Edward Smith (1996) who developed TheoPhostic Counseling. Coaptive Therapy proposes that an intimate relationship can be a vehicle for facilitating healing of many types of wounds for both partners.
We make the assumption that the lies held deeply in the beliefs of each individual in a marriage result in repetitive life themes that replay each time an emotional response is triggered. Each individual's woundedness, brought into the intimate relationship from their historical experiences, generates the painful responses and behaviors in the present relationship. Their lies are acted out in the relationship; in other words, the internal individual struggles which are manifested in interactions and conflicts with their partner in the present create systemic dynamics generated by, but separate from, the individual wounds. Healing of the current conflicts comes from The Lord healing individual wounds and replacing lies with the truth, then joining the partners together in and through that healing.
For more discussion of Aletheia Counseling for individuals, click on the page entitled "Aletheia Counseling".
Coaptive Therapy expands the healing process to include the couple understanding the lies of their partner as well as their own lies, and acting as support for each other while healing takes place. Through Coaptive Therapy, the couple can support the individual healing process of their partner by participating in creating an environment conducive to healing, interceding for their partner in prayer, and being supportive through the process. When the historical wounds are healed and the historical pain is gone, the relational dynamics change as the partners no longer "brush" against each other's wounds. The partners are joined together for healing and become each other's trusted support system, just as Jesus described marriage: "a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one."
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