An Integrative Model for Treating Romantic Breakup Crises as Traumatic Relational Loss: Synthesizing Grief-Oriented, Trauma-Focused, and Relational Approaches.

Résumé

This paper presents an integrative therapeutic paradigm for treating individuals experiencing a psychological crisis following a romantic breakup, often viewed as both profound and life-altering. Conceptualizing the breakup experience as involving elements of loss, trauma, and relational rupture, the proposed model integrates principles and interventions drawn from grief-and-loss therapies, trauma-informed approaches, and key principles from relational psychodynamic psychotherapy, as well as humanistic approaches. Based on the common factors model of psychotherapy integration, the model's core principle is the dialectical and ongoing oscillation between two primary therapeutic channels. One focuses on emotion regulation, resource-strengthening, and functional support; the other emphasizes processing the breakup through narrative construction, meaning-making, and reintegration of self-states. The model outlines the clinical considerations that guide the oscillation between these therapeutic channels. In addition, it details the interventions relevant to each channel, in the spirit of the eclectic approach to psychotherapy integration. Two clinical case studies illustrate the model's application and demonstrate how its principles can adapt to various clinical presentations. The paper concludes by mapping the key principles and interventions presented, emphasizing the therapist's role as an active and subjective participant in the therapeutic process.