CRC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CRC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A CRC client describes feeling responsible for managing their partner's emotions at all times. This pattern is best described as: → Emotional caretaking and over-responsibility
2. Which attachment behavior is most commonly observed in anxiously attached adults during conflict? → Hyperactivating strategies such as heightening distress and protest
3. Which approach to conflict resolution focuses on separating the people from the problem and focusing on interests rather than positions? → Principled negotiation (Fisher & Ury)
4. John Gottman's concept of 'turning toward' a partner's bid for connection refers to: → Responding positively to small bids for attention, affection, or emotional connection
5. A coach teaches a couple to use 'repair attempts' during conflict. What is the primary purpose of a repair attempt? → To de-escalate negative affect before it overwhelms the interaction
6. A client describes their partner as someone who always says 'fine' during arguments but then acts resentful for days afterward. This behavior is an example of: → Passive aggression
7. Why is client readiness important in goal setting? → It reflects client commitment and motivation
8. Which of the following BEST illustrates the difference between a 'position' and an 'interest' in relationship conflict? → 'I want to move to Seattle' (position) vs. 'I need to feel closer to family' (interest)
9. When a partner crosses a stated boundary and the other partner takes no action, this is called: → Boundary collapse or failure to enforce
10. Which of the following best reflects a boundary violation in coaching? → Inviting a client to a personal dinner
11. A CRC applying Positive Psychology coaching would most likely encourage clients to: → Cultivate gratitude, strengths, and positive emotions
12. Which approach involves coaches helping clients identify strengths and past successes to apply to current relationship challenges? → Solution-Focused Brief Coaching
13. In Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, the primary goal of the de-escalation phase is to: → Help partners understand their negative interaction cycle as the shared enemy
14. A client who constantly apologizes before stating a limit is demonstrating: → Difficulty owning their right to have limits — often rooted in guilt or fear
15. Which model describes how people move through stages of change, from not considering change to maintaining new behaviors? → Transtheoretical model
16. Alexithymia in a coaching client is characterized by: → Difficulty identifying and describing one's own emotions
17. What does 'motivational interviewing' contribute to relationship coaching practice? → Techniques to evoke intrinsic motivation and explore ambivalence about change
18. A client insists they communicate well because they always win arguments with their partner. What should the coach explore? → The difference between winning arguments and achieving mutual understanding
19. A client frequently uses 'you never' and 'you always' in conversations with their partner. What communication problem does this represent? → Using absolutes that globalize and trigger defensiveness
20. The self-awareness exercise of writing down one's emotional reactions after each significant conversation is an example of: → Journaling for emotional processing
21. A CRC client who says 'I don't need anyone — I'm better off alone' and dismisses their partner's need for closeness is likely displaying: → Dismissive-avoidant attachment defense strategies
22. When a partner says 'I just don't want to talk about this anymore' and walks away, what would a relationship coach recommend they do differently? → Request a specific time to revisit the conversation after taking a break
23. The concept of 'intersectionality' is important in relationship coaching because it recognizes that: → Multiple overlapping identities shape a client's relationship experiences simultaneously
24. Why is confidentiality crucial in relationship coaching? → To respect client privacy and foster trust
25. A CRC coach is approached by a client's employer asking whether the client is engaged in coaching and how sessions are progressing. The coach should: → Decline to confirm or deny anything about the client without explicit written consent
26. Interoception, increasingly discussed in relationship coaching, refers to: → Sensing internal body states as a source of emotional information
27. Intergenerational transmission of attachment refers to: → The tendency for parents' attachment patterns to shape their children's attachment styles
28. Why is contracting important in relationship coaching? → It establishes mutual expectations, boundaries, and goals for the coaching relationship
29. When a client requests that the coach keep a secret from any future mediator or assessor reviewing the coaching file, the coach should: → Decline and explain that such agreements may conflict with professional obligations
30. Which coaching model emphasizes the client's agenda by following their lead rather than directing the session? → Co-active coaching