Most therapists are trained in the importance of a clear formulation or case conceptualisation. In individual therapy, it anchors the work. In couple therapy, it’s indispensable.

A relational formulation is how a therapist weaves together the different narratives, reported behaviours, the relationship history, and what unfolds in real time between the partners. It’s not an academic exercise or a report—it’s how we make sense of what’s happening in the room.

A good formulation connects perception, experience, and behaviour, showing how each partner contributes to the relationship’s unique blueprint. Without it, the therapist risks being pulled into the dominant narrative—the voice that speaks first, loudest, or most persuasively.

A formulation is not the presenting problem. The presenting problem is usually one person’s story. The formulation is how the therapist holds both stories—and the system they create together.