Presented by Perrine Moran, M.A.

The dilemma of how to be emotionally dependent on another without losing oneself permeates many popular love songs and underlies issues that couples often bring to therapy. Its management results in different dynamics which place partners in couples on a spectrum going from too close to too far apart. This presentation will explore where the ability of love songs to trigger emotion and echo couple dynamics originates. It will highlight how songs can help a therapist’s thinking and interventions when listening to the unconscious “music” of couples’ interactions. Finally, reference will be made to a case study in conjunction with a particular song and couple dynamic and to concepts borrowed from mentalization theory.