Showing how to weave assessment into all phases of therapy, this indispensable text and practitioner guide is reader friendly, straightforward, and practical. Specific strategies are provided for evaluating a wide range of clinical issues and concerns with adults, children and adolescents, families, and couples. The authors demonstrate ways to use interviewing and other techniques to understand both individual and relationship functioning, develop sound treatment plans, and monitor progress. Handy mnemonics help beginning family therapists remember what to include in assessments, and numerous case examples illustrate what the assessment principles look like in action with diverse clients. See also the authors' Essential Skills in Family Therapy, Third Edition: From the First Interview to Termination, which addresses all aspects of real-world clinical practice, and Clinician's Guide to Research Methods in Family Therapy.

Family Therapy: 100 Key Points provides a concise and jargon-free guide to the fundamentals of this field.

Written for the beginning clinician, this brief introduction to family therapy provides a general perspective on systems and social construction, focusing on engagement, assessment, and change. Specific chapters discuss the first interview, setting boundaries, diagnosis and systems models, identifying family patterns, the resistance to change, techniques for promoting change, and termination. The emphasis throughout is on practical strategies rather than theory. Worden teaches at Fairfield University. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

"This book focuses on students, a pragmatic approach to treatment, regard for multidisciplinary perspectives, and respect for the influence of families on clients. Chapter 1 identifies concerns that new therapists frequently have, such as building confidence in their clinical work. Chapters 2-6 follow the usual time sequence of therapy--from initial contact with clients, to comprehensive assessment, to treatment planning and intervention. Chapters 7-10 deal with specific clinical situations based on presenting problems and the nature of client families. We examine major issues and approaches for working with children and adolescents, older adults, couples, and families that are struggling with serious mental illness. Chapter 11 highlights some common obstacles all therapists encounter, and provides concrete ideas on how to get unstuck when treatment is not progressing. Chapter 12 focuses on an often overlooked part of therapy--termination. In Chapter 13, we conclude the book by looking at emerging issues within family therapy"--

Many 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.

Readable and concise yet immensely informative, this bestselling text prepares students and new therapists to work confidently and effectively in real-world clinical practice with families. The authors offer wise and compassionate guidance on everything from intake and assessment to treatment planning, the nuts and bolts of specific interventions, the nuances of establishing therapeutic relationships, and how to troubleshoot when treatment gets “stuck.” They help the novice clinician navigate typical dilemmas and concerns, and spell out the basics of therapist self-care. Vivid case examples, sample forms, and quick-reference tables enhance the utility of the text. New to This Edition *Updated throughout to reflect current clinical findings and practices. *Many new or revised case examples. *Now more integrative--shows how to flexibly draw on multiple theories and techniques. *New topics, including "Dealing with Clients We Dislike." 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.

Designed throughout to meet the developmental needs of the beginning family therapist, this handbook provides readers with the basic skills and tools necessary to become empathic, confident, and successful practitioners in today's rapidly changing field of family therapy. From initial client intake to the nuts-and-bolts of the interview, assessment, diagnosis, goal setting, treatment planning, intervention techniques, troubleshooting, and termination, the book translates current research findings into cogent recommendations for practice. Numerous case examples and sample treatment plans, forms, and questionnaires complement the text.

This fourth edition text features the latest, most common, and important assessment measures and strategies for addressing problematic clinical issues related to working with families, couples, and children. Chapters provides strategies for systematically utilizing these various assessment measures with a wide range of family dynamics that influence couples and families. These include couples conflict, divorce, separation, mediation, premarital decisions, parenting conflicts, child abuse, family violence, custody evaluation, and child and adolescent conditions, i.e., depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and learning disorders that can significantly influence family dynamics. Filled with extensive clinical case material that illustrates the use of these various assessment measures and strategies in an array of clinical situations, this edition is filled with new assessment devices as well as a new chapter on family trauma and family chronic illness. This book is essential reading for both students in family and couple therapy courses as well as practitioners working with families, couples, and children.

Now in a revised and updated third edition, this noted practitioner guide and text incorporates the latest knowledge about psychopharmacology and collaborative care. Therapists and counselors learn when and how to make medication referrals and how to address patients' questions about drug benefits, side effects, safety, and more. Organized around frequently encountered mental health disorders, the book explains how medications work (including what they can and cannot accomplish). Strategies for collaborating successfully with patients, their family members, and prescribers are discussed in detail. Written for optimal practical utility, the text features case examples, sample referral letters, checklists, and a glossary. New to This Edition *Chapter on the therapeutic relationship. *New separate chapter on bipolar disorder. *Expanded discussions of distinguishing psychiatric illness from normal distress, optimizing collaboration with psychiatrists, how medications work in the brain, treatment of chronic pain, and more. *Additional case vignettes and psychopharmacology principles.

A leading professional resource and course text, this book provides practical guidance for treating clients with substance use disorders in a variety of contexts. Expert contributors present major assessment and treatment approaches together with detailed recommendations for intervening with particular substances. Clinical techniques are clearly explained and illustrated with helpful case examples. Important topics include harm reduction; strategies for working with family members; and ways to meet the needs of specific populations, including women, adolescents, older adults, LGBT clients, and those with frequently encountered co-occurring problems. New to This Edition *Revised to reflect current research and clinical advances; updated for DSM-5. *Chapters on trauma-informed care, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and complementary/alternative approaches. *Chapters on neurobiology and behavioral addictions. *Significantly revised chapters on family treatment and dual disorders.