Now in its third edition, this highly regarded and well-established textbook includes up-to-date coverage of recent advances in family therapy practice and reviews of latest research, whilst retaining the popular structure and chapter features of previous editions.

About the Author  ix Foreword to the Third Edition  xi Preface  xiii Acknowledgements  xvii Part One Central Concepts in Family Therapy  1 Chapter 1 Goals of Family Therapy across the Lifecycle  3 The Family Lifecycle 5 Lifecycle Stages Associated with Separation and Divorce  33 The Individual Lifecycle  41 Gender-role Development  48 Gay and Lesbian Lifecycles  49 Class, Creed and Colour  51 Conclusion  52 Further Readings  53 Chapter 2 Origins of Family Therapy  54 Movements: Child Guidance, Marriage Counselling and Sex Therapy 55 Disciplines: Social Work, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology  56 Group Therapy: Group Analysis, Encounter Groups, Psychodrama and Gestalt Therapy 57 Research Traditions: Work Groups, Role Theory and Schizophrenia  59 Gregory Bateson  62 Three Organising Themes: Behaviour Patterns, Beliefs and Contexts  74 Conclusion  76 Glossary  77 Further Readings  79 Chapter 3 Theories that Focus on Behaviour Patterns  81 MRI Brief Therapy  81 Strategic Family Therapy  91 Structural Family Therapy 95 Cognitive-behavioural Couple and Family Therapy  98 Functional Family Therapy  101 Conclusion  104 Glossary  105 Further Readings  111 Chapter 4 Theories that Focus on Belief Systems  115 Epistemology: Positivism, Constructivism, Socialconstructionism, Modernism and Postmodernism  115 A Constructivist Approach to Family Therapy 125 Milan Systemic Family Therapy  130 Social-constructionist Developments  133 Solution-focused Therapy  137 Narrative Therapy  140 Conclusion  144 Glossary  146 Further Readings 154 Chapter 5 Theories that Focus on Contexts 160 Transgenerational Family Therapy  160 Psychoanalytic Family Therapy  170 Attachment-based Therapies  172 Experiential Family Therapy  180 Multisystemic Family Therapy  187 Psychoeducational Family Therapy 188 Conclusion  190 Glossary  191 Further Readings  199 Chapter 6 Integrative Models  202 Metaframeworks  202 Integrative Problem-centred Therapy  205 Integrative Problem-centred Metaframeworks  208 Attachment Narrative Therapy  209 Integrative Couple Therapy  210 Affective-reconstructive Couple Therapy  212 Integrative Applications within Specific Professions 214 Conclusion  215 Glossary  216 Further Readings  216 Part Two Processes in Family Therapy  219 Chapter 7 The Stages of Family Therapy  221 Stage 1. Planning  221 Stage 2. Assessment  225 Stage 3. Treatment  244 Stage 4. Disengaging or Recontracting 250 Conclusion  255 Further Readings  255 Chapter 8 Formulating Problems and Exceptions  256 The Three-column Problem-formulation Model  259 The Three-column Exception-formulation Model  267 Questions to Ask when Constructing Three-column Formulations  271 Recursive Reformulation  277 Conclusion  279 Further Reading  279 Chapter 9 Interventions for Behaviour, Beliefs and Contexts  280 Criteria for Selecting Interventions  280 Behaviour-focused Interventions  284 Interventions Focusing on Belief Systems  299 Interventions Focusing on Historical, Contextual and Constitutional Factors 307 Conclusion  320 Further Readings  320 Part Three Family Therapy Practice with Childand Adolescent-focused Problems 321 Chapter 10 Conduct Problems  323 Systemic Model of Conduct Problems  326 Family Therapy for Conduct Problems  332 Conclusion  344 Further Readings  345 Chapter 11 Drug Misuse in Adolescence  346 Systemic Model of Drug Misuse in Adolescence  346 Family Therapy for Drug Misuse in Adolescence  354 Conclusion  360 Further Readings  360 Part Four Family Therapy Practice with Adult-focused Problems 361 Chapter 12 Distressed Couples  363 Systemic Model of Distressing Intimate Relationships  365 Couple Therapy  370 Conclusion  386 Further Readings  386 Chapter 13 Depression and Anxiety  388 Depression  388 Anxiety  390 Systemic Model of Depression and Anxiety  392 Couple Therapy for Depression and Anxiety  397 Conclusion  411 Further Readings  411 Part Five Research and Resources  413 Chapter 14 Evidence-based Practice in Couple and Family Therapy 415 Overall Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Systemic Therapy 415 Child-focused Problems  416 Adult-focused Problems  437 Common Factors  452 Conclusion  453 Glossary  454 Further Reading  455 Chapter 15 Professional Resources  456 Written Communication  456 Training Exercises  462 Conclusion  486 References  488 Index  526

Now in its third edition, this highly regarded and well-established book helps family therapy students, trainees, and professionals make sense of divergent theories and practices by providing a unique integrative framework – one which allows for the integration of ideas and practices which focus on family behaviour patterns, family beliefs and narratives, and broader contextual factors. New to this edition are: Up-to-date coverage of recent advances in family therapy practiceReviews of recent longitudinal research on the family life cycleA thorough review of the latest research on the effectiveness of family therapy, and an outline of the implications of this for evidence-based practice The third edition retains the popular structure and chapter features of previous editions, including chapter plans at the start of each chapter and a summary of key points at the end; suggestions for further reading, case examples, and full details of resources for professionals. Family Therapy: Concepts, Process and Practice is a must-have resource for all students and mental health professionals training in family therapy, and is an important tool for experienced practitioners, and those who are involved in delivering training programmes.

“It should continue to be considered as a valuable ‘essential’ text for those undertaking training in systemic/family psychotherapy and as a key reference for experienced therapists and educators in the field.”  (Child & Family Social Work, 10 October 2014)