Family therapy skills and techniques in action

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction, setting the scene -- Listening to the orchestra -- Assessment, finding out what we need to know -- Integrative family therapy, a contemporary practice -- Structural family therapy, creating a dance with families -- Strategic family therapy, making language therapeutic -- Milan and Post-Milan family therapy, changing rules and meanings -- Narrative family therapy, interpreting the story -- Working systemically with individuals, opening up a different view -- Reflective practice in family therapy.

Relationships are a resource for healing a range of psychological difficulties. This is the fundamental principle of family therapy, an increasingly influential form of psychotherapy that is building up a strong evidence base in a range of psychological problems across the life cycle. Family Therapy Skills and Techniques in Action is both a guide to a variety of family therapy techniques and a review of their history. It provides a thorough explanation of the techniques, explaining their origins and use in contemporary family practice, whilst guiding readers in learning new skills. The authors provide film examples and transcripts of the techniques in action so that readers can develop their skills in a practical way.

The book is divided into sections that describe and demonstrate skills such as:

Assessing a family;

Building a therapeutic relationship with multiple family members;

Enactment;

Reframing;

Using circular questions;

‘Externalising’ the problem;

Using family therapy skills in individual work;

Understanding and utilising systemic supervision.

Family Therapy Skills and Techniques in Action will be an essential practical manual for a range of family therapy skills which can be used in family work by family practitioners from a variety of backgrounds: counsellors, support workers, social workers, psychologists, generic therapists and nurses.