Marriage and Family Therapy: A Practice-Oriented Approach

There are many different models of marriage and family therapy; the challenge for students and beginning practitioners is deciding which one best suits their individual purposes. This highly practical volume elucidates the defining characteristics of 14 contemporary models, including their history, views of change, views of family and the role of the therapist; and methods of assessing family dynamics, goal setting; facilitating change; and knowing when to terminate. Each chapter also includes a template for implementing therapy models, and realistic case studies-many drawn from actual practice-to illustrate how each model would address common issues.In addition, the volume includes extensive interviews with master therapists such as Albert Ellis, Insoo Kim Berg, Sue Johnson, Susan McDaniel, Derald Wing Sue, and many others. They share their ideas of the ways in which change occurs, how they set goals, and how they perform therapy. For further clarification, each therapist illustrates how he/she would proceed via the same case study. Learning how to perform effective family therapy can be an arduous process of trial and error, yet this resource will ease the way for students and currently practicing family therapists who need to revisit the basics. Modalities IncludedBowen Family Systems TheoryContextual Family TherapyCognitive Behavioral Family Therapy ModelsRational Emotive Behavior TherapySymbolic-Experiential Family TherapySatir Human Validation Process ModelMilan Systemic Family TherapyStructural Family TherapyStrategic Family TherapySolution-Focused Brief Therapy with FamiliesNarrative Therapy with FamiliesEmotionally Focused TherapyMedical Family TherapyFamily PsychoeducationKey Features: Introduces the theory, history, theoretical assumptions, techniques, and components of each model Includes a template for using each model, from the initial meeting through assessment, intervention, and termination Provides numerous interviews with master therapists Includes case study commentary and analysis by master therapists Suggests questions, therapeutic strategies, and/or comments to consider for each therapeutic phase Includes a personality inventory to help readers select the most effective modality

About the Author

Linda Metcalf, MEd, PhD, LMFT, LPC, is currently a Professor of Graduate Counseling Programs at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas where she created a COAMFTE accredited doctoral program in marriage and family therapy. She is past president of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and has been president of the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy twice. She is the creator of the Solution Focused Schools Unlimited podcast and the free Solution Focused Connection webinar, created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.