Essential Skills in Family Therapy ─ From the First Interview to Termination

Many tens of thousands of students and beginning clinicians have relied on this engaging, authoritative text--now revised and expanded--to hit the ground running in real-world clinical practice. Focusing on what works, the authors show how to flexibly draw on multiple theories and techniques to conduct comprehensive assessments, develop collaborative treatment plans, and intervene effectively for frequently encountered clinical concerns. Mental health skills needed by all therapists are interwoven with state-of-the-art family therapy knowledge. Illustrated with instructive case examples and vignettes, the book helps the reader navigate typical dilemmas and troubleshoot when treatment gets “stuck.”

New to This Edition
*Discussions of addictive behaviors (pornography, gambling, video games, social media); children's brain development; premarital counseling; divorce therapy; preventing premature terminations; and uses of technology in clinical practice.
*Chapter on working with older adults and their caregivers.
*Revised throughout with current research and evidence-based practice recommendations.
*Extensively rewritten chapter on treatment planning.
*Chapter-opening vignettes, plus new and revised case examples throughout.
*New assessment resources, including an Appendix on screening instruments.

See also the authors' Essential Assessment Skills for Couple and Family Therapists, which shows how to weave assessment into all phases of therapy, and Clinician's Guide to Research Methods in Family Therapy. 

JoEllen Patterson, PhD, is Professor of Marital and Family Therapy at the University of San Diego and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Department of Global Health, and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Patterson is on the editorial boards for five journals focused on families and has written 5 books. She has written several books and numerous articles on family therapy training and the integration of mental health services into primary care. In addition, she has had Fulbright Awards to work in Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Norway.

Lee Williams, PhD, is Professor of Marital and Family Therapy at the University of San Diego. He is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and does couple therapy with veterans at the VA San Diego Medical Center. His research and publications have primarily focused on marriage preparation, couples with religious differences, and family therapy training.

Todd M. Edwards, PhD, is Professor and Director of the Marital and Family Therapy Program at the University of San Diego. He is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and a Voluntary Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego. His primary research interests are family therapy training and supervision, integrative family therapy, and friendship in adulthood.

Larry Chamow, PhD, is Clinical Professor of Marital and Family Therapy at the University of San Diego and is in full-time private practice at the Pacific Family Institute in Carlsbad, California. He is an Approved Supervisor and Clinical Fellow in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. His interests and publications focus on couple therapy, supervision, the self of the therapist, and family businesses.

Claudia Grauf-Grounds, PhD, is Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at Seattle Pacific University and served as a clinical faculty member at the University of Washington School of Medicine for over 10 years. She conducts research, publishes, and presents on family therapy training, supervision, and collaborative healthcare models that embrace spirituality. She is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Honored as Supervisor of the Year by the Washington Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, she enjoys mentoring the next generation of psychotherapists, pastors and physicians.