The paper deals with an integrative perspective of "consilient" knowledge, with a focus on the theory of attachment which relates to several therapeutic approaches with the couple. Clinical contributions with different perspectives are analyzed to describe the processes of acceptance, the value of authenticity and the capacity to affect regulation, as related dimensions. The basic hypothesis is that the expansion of adaptive possibilities in the couple implies the recognition and acceptance of emotions. The development of this process is facilitated by mindfulness skills, and limited by matching of insecure attachment. The author describes four adaptive intrapsychic and relational systems at the base of acceptance: openness to experience, affect tolerance, response flexibility and reflective function. These systems can expand from interplay between the resources of the couple and the attunement and intersubjectivity skills of the therapist. It may so constitute a "safe base" for the expression of emotions and the development of a new shared narrative.
Keywords: Couple therapy, acceptance, autenticity, mindfulness, attachment, emotional regulation.