Couples Therapy
Praxi provides specialised features for practitioners delivering couples therapy, including consent model configuration, joint and individual session management, and AI assistance for couples-specific documentation.
Consent Models
Couples therapy raises unique confidentiality considerations. Praxi supports three consent models, configured per couple at the start of treatment:
| Model | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| No secrets | All information shared with both partners | Default for most couples work |
| Secrets permitted | Individual disclosures may be kept from the other partner | When clinically indicated |
| Case by case | Practitioner decides per disclosure whether to share | Flexible approach |
Setting the Consent Model
- Open the couple's client record
- Open the consent management panel
- Select the consent model
- Both partners must acknowledge the model via the consent workflow
- The model is recorded and applies to all sessions for this couple
The consent model can be changed during treatment if clinically appropriate. Both partners must acknowledge the new model. The change and both acknowledgements are recorded in the audit trail. :::
Joint and Individual Sessions
Praxi tracks both joint sessions (both partners present) and individual sessions (one partner) within the couples treatment record.
Creating a Joint Session
- Create a new appointment
- Select the couple's record
- Both partners are listed as attendees
- Clinical notes are linked to the couple record
Creating an Individual Session
- Create a new appointment with one partner only
- Link the appointment to the couple's treatment record and mark it as an individual session
- The note is linked to both the individual and couple records
- Visibility of the note to the other partner depends on the active consent model
Note Visibility Rules
| Consent Model | Joint Session Notes | Individual Session Notes |
|---|---|---|
| No secrets | Visible to both | Visible to both |
| Secrets permitted | Visible to both | Visible to attending partner only |
| Case by case | Visible to both | Practitioner sets visibility per note |
AI Assistance for Couples Therapy
Praxi's clinical AI assistant provides couples-specific support when working with couple records. It assists with:
- Session preparation -- Summarises recent themes and progress for both partners
- Note generation -- Drafts couples-specific notes respecting the active consent model
- Theme tracking -- Tracks relational themes across sessions (communication, trust, conflict patterns)
Consent Model Enforcement
When generating notes or summaries for couples, Praxi enforces the active consent model. For example, under the "secrets permitted" model, individual session content is only included in summaries visible to the attending partner.
AI processing consent is required from both partners before AI features can be used with the couple's clinical data. Collect this via the consent management workflow at intake. :::
Who can manage couples therapy
Practitioners (and interns, under supervision) create couple records and manage session notes for their own clients. Clinical supervisors and practice owners can view session notes across the practice. Only practice owners can enable or disable AI features for the organisation; individual practitioners manage their own AI preferences.