The wife of an alcoholic client says, 'I can't afford to bail my husband out of this mess. Our business is filing for bankruptcy, and the IRS has posted a notice of auction on our home.' Which statement would be therapeutic?

• A. The lack of money has stopped you from saving your husband? It sounds like you need to help yourself right now. What do you think?
• B. Everything happens for a reason.
• C. Your husband must face consequences.
• D. There is nothing you can do.

Answer: (A)

The statement that is therapeutic centers on validating the wife's distress, recognizing her limits, and inviting her to participate in her own next steps. It acknowledges the financial strain and the fact that she cannot rescue her husband or fix the situation alone, while still opening space for her input and action. By saying it sounds like you need to help yourself right now and asking, “What do you think?” it uses a supportive, nonjudgmental, collaborative tone that encourages self-care, boundary-setting, and problem-solving—core elements of effective counseling with families affected by addiction.

The other options tend to shut down coping or shift blame or inevitability rather than fostering agency: saying everything happens for a reason may feel dismissive of her current pain; suggesting her husband must face consequences puts moral weight on him rather than supporting her needs; and telling her there’s nothing she can do conveys hopelessness and a loss of control.