Literary Las Vegas: Katherine M. Hertlein and Markie L.C. Blumer’s “The Couple and Family Technology Framework: Intimate Relationships in a Digital Age”

In a world where ex-boyfriends and girlfriends are only a Google search away, couple and family interaction with technology can be complicated. UNLV associate professor Katherine M. Hertlein, director of the university’s Marriage and Family Therapy program, and assistant professor Markie L.C. Blumer, a faculty adviser in the program, examined the subject in the therapy book “The Couple and Family Technology Framework: Intimate Relationships in a Digital Age.”

The book covers a wealth of information on risks and boons to relationships brought on by technology along with advice for therapists on how to help clients navigate arenas with ever-changing rules.

Excerpt from ‘The Couple and Family Technology Framework: Intimate Relationships In a Digital Age’

The structural changes had specific impacts on the process of the relationship. Suddenly, Bella began to question all of his connections and with this she experienced a profound level of jealousy and torment. In other times, when one experiences infidelity, the triggers seem to be more direct. With Internet infidelity, Bella found that she was reacting to everything that Jake was doing and being triggered all of the time. The fact that he was texting to someone on his phone, using the computer, or responding to a phone call were all triggers in addition to mentions of the city where Jake had gone to meet his lover and songs on the radio that reminded Bella of her husband’s infidelity. This experience negatively impacted her experience of the relationship to the point where Jake was left to do all of the maintenance on the relationship because Bella was constantly being triggered. This resulted in her being more agitated and angry with Jake, who was beginning to feel like he could never catch a break.