Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT)

Advisor

Pei-Fen Li

Abstract

Geographical separation occurs for individuals, couples, and families when one partner chooses to live away from the other for one reason or another, resulting in long-distance relationships (LDRs). The effects of long distance on couples can be challenging. To cope, those involved may seek to ameliorate the distance with various relationship maintenance behaviors or maintenance strategies in their daily routines. Given the onset of COVID-19, which became a global hazard, people around the world experienced unprecedented and extended times of lockdown, social distancing, and physical separation. With this and other existing challenges, couples in LDRs were pushed to the limit as they faced disconnection, isolation, and related distress. The goal of this applied clinical project was to analyze couples’ long-distance separation from different theoretical perspectives and discuss the treatment of LDRs. Bowen’s family systems theory was integrated to further conceptualize LDRs and the encompassing challenges. This served as a supplemental theoretical perspective to develop a relevant and financially feasible online-based workshop for couples in LDRs. Keywords: long-distance relationships, relationship maintenance, differentiation of self, pandemic

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