Family Therapy: History, Theory, and Practice (6th Edition) - A Comprehensive Guide for Students and Practitioners
Family Therapy: History, Theory, and Practice (6th Edition) - A Comprehensive Guide for Students and Practitioners
Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves working with couples and families to improve their relationships, communication, and functioning. Family therapy can help address various issues such as marital conflict, parenting problems, divorce, blended families, substance abuse, domestic violence, mental illness, and more.
Family therapy is based on the premise that the family is a system of interconnected and interdependent members who influence each other's behavior and emotions. Family therapists aim to understand the patterns of interaction within the family, identify the strengths and weaknesses of the system, and facilitate positive change by modifying dysfunctional behaviors and enhancing coping skills.
Family Therapy: History, Theory, and Practice (6th Edition)
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Family therapy has a rich history that spans over a century of theory and practice. It draws from various disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, and medicine. It also incorporates different perspectives such as psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive, systemic, structural, strategic, solution-focused, narrative, and postmodern.
Family Therapy: History, Theory, and Practice (6th Edition) by Samuel T. Gladding is a comprehensive textbook that covers all aspects of working with couples and families from proven, evidence-based theories. It provides a clear and user-friendly overview of how individual and family life cycles intertwine, the basic processes involved in treating couples and families, and a dozen theoretical ways of treating families. It also includes an abundance of examples and case studies, new illustrations, more than 175 new references, helpful learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, a new chart comparing the different therapies, and more.
This book is suitable for students and practitioners who want to learn more about the history, theory, and practice of family therapy. It is also a valuable resource for anyone who wants to enhance their understanding of family dynamics and improve their relationships with their loved ones.
To order this book or access the Enhanced Pearson eText version with embedded video and internet resources, visit Amazon.com or Google Books.
Benefits of family therapy
Family therapy can help address various mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and relationship problems that affect not only individuals but also their families. Some of the benefits of family therapy are:
It can improve communication and understanding among family members.
It can help resolve conflicts and reduce stress and tension in the family.
It can enhance the emotional and psychological well-being of each family member.
It can foster a supportive and nurturing family environment.
It can promote positive changes in behavior and attitudes.
It can strengthen the bonds and trust among family members.
Effectiveness of family therapy
Family therapy has been shown to be effective for various issues and populations. According to a 2019 review of studies, family therapy can help improve outcomes for children and adolescents with conduct disorders, substance use disorders, offending behavior, and depression[^1^]. Family therapy can also help reduce the risk of relapse and hospitalization for people with schizophrenia[^2^]. Additionally, family therapy can enhance marital satisfaction and reduce marital distress for couples[^3^].
Types of family therapy
There are different types of family therapy that vary in their theoretical orientation, goals, techniques, and duration. Some of the common types of family therapy are:
Family systems therapy: This is an approach that focuses on helping people utilize the strengths of their relationships to overcome mental health problems. It views the family as a system of interconnected and interdependent members who influence each other's behavior and emotions. It aims to identify and modify dysfunctional patterns of interaction within the family.
Functional family therapy: This is a short-term treatment often utilized for young people experiencing problems with risky behavior, violence, or substance use. It helps teens and families look for solutions while building trust and respect. It also addresses the underlying causes of the problems, such as emotional distress, trauma, or attachment issues.
Structural family therapy: This is an approach that focuses on the organization and structure of the family. It examines how the family members relate to each other, what roles they play, what boundaries they have, and what rules they follow. It aims to restructure the family system to make it more functional and adaptive.
Strategic family therapy: This is an approach that focuses on solving specific problems in the family. It involves giving directives or assignments to the family members to change their behavior or communication. It also uses techniques such as reframing, paradoxical interventions, or ordeals to challenge the family's beliefs and expectations.
Solution-focused family therapy: This is an approach that focuses on finding solutions rather than analyzing problems. It helps the family identify their strengths, resources, and goals. It also uses techniques such as scaling questions, miracle questions, exception questions, or compliments to help the family generate positive changes.
Narrative family therapy: This is an approach that focuses on helping people rewrite their stories and identities. It views problems as separate from people and influenced by social and cultural factors. It helps the family externalize their problems, deconstruct their dominant narratives, and co-create alternative narratives that reflect their preferred outcomes.
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