First published in 1984. This book was written in order to share the authors’ experience as family therapists not only with professionals but with families. We live in an age of anxiety, fear of violence and questioning of fundamental values. Confidence in traditional values is being challenged. Waves of prejudice seem to endanger our trust in one another and our loyalty to society. The strength of family relations or their effect on individuals is extremely difficult to measure. The authors of this book believe that observable changes in the family do not necessarily alter the member to- member impact of family relationships. Invisible loyalty commitments to one's family follow paradoxical laws: The martyr who doesn't let other family members work off their guilt is a far more powerfully controlling force than the loud, demanding bully. The manifestly rebellious or delinquent child may actually be the most loyal member of a family.

What goes on "behind closed doors" in families is examined in this text. Through his storytelling style, Randy Day introduces readers to the family processes approach – the strategies and behaviors families use to achieve goals. The emphasis is on how families work and interact rather than on the psychological, sociological, or economic processes. It examines emotions in families, communication, relationship formation/dissolution, family rituals, and power and conflict. Chapters open with a Preview and conclude with a Summary, Study Questions, Key Terms, and Suggested Readings. Principle Boxes highlight key concepts and a Glossary defines the key terms listed at the ends of the chapters. Significantly updated with 50% new material including many new references and examples, the new edition features: A new chapter that introduces the discipline’s methodology A new chapter on relationship formation including partner selection, falling in love, commitment, sexuality, passion, and intimacy A new design reformatted to tie in with the book’s website at http://www.psypress.com/family-processes which now contains the Chapter Activity Questions that reinforce critical thinking skills, the Journal Activities that strengthen students' personal connection to the material, and the chapter Previews and Key Terms for review purposes An Instructor’s Web Resource at http://www.psypress.com/family-processes with small group and in-class exercises, lecture outlines in PowerPoint, topics for debate, suggested films, and multiple-choice, true/false, matching, and essay questions More material on the role of gender, power, genetics, and personality in relationships; families from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and the impact of work and technology on the family; the changing nature of family structures including single parenting and gay unions; and stresses in family life. Written for undergraduate courses on family processes, family dynamics, family life, the family, and/or marriage & family interaction taught in family studies, human development, psychology, sociology, social work, education, consumer sciences, home economics, health, and nursing departments, this book also appeals to those who want to maximize the positive parts of family life and manage the inevitable challenges.

The classic and critically acclaimed book Family Therapy with Ethnic Minorities, Second Edition has now been updated and revised to reflect the various demographic changes that have occurred in the lives of ethnic minority families and the implications of these changes for clinical practice. Family Therapy with Ethnic Minorities provides advanced students and practitioners with the most up-to-date examination yet of the theory, models, and techniques relevant to ethnic minority family functioning and therapy. After an introductory discussion of principles to be considered in practice with ethnic minorities, the authors apply these principles to working with specific ethnic minority groups, namely African Americans, Latinos, Asian/Pacific Americans, and First Nations People. Distinctive cultural values of each ethnic group are explored as well as specific guidelines and suggestions on culturally significant family therapy strategies and skills. Key Features: The revised text reflects advances in family therapy scholarship since the first edition thus ensuring for readers an up-to-date treatment of the topic Accents and extends current critical constructionist theories and techniques and applies them within a culturally specific perspective Pays special attention to the issues of 'historical trauma' (referred to as 'soul wound'), especially in work with First Nations Peoples and African American families /span

Bridging individual and family approaches, the Wachtels demonstrate in rich clinical detail just how the incorporation of new ideas and methods derived from family therapy can enrich the work of most therapists.

Written for undergraduate level courses on family processes, family studies, introduction to the family, family communication, and dynamics of the family, this thoroughly class-tested new edition examines what is known about what goes on "behind closed doors" in families. Introduction to Family Processes, 4/e introduces the reader to the family processes approach--strategies and daily sequences of behavior used by family members to achieve goals. The family processes approach focuses on how families work, think, and interact; the Inner Family; and the dynamics among its members. Features of this Fourth Edition include: *Textbook and Student Workbook in one volume! Introduction to Family Processes, Fourth Edition is filled with writing activities and designed with enough space to complete the activities directly on the page. *Chapter Activities help reinforce concepts learned before moving on to the next concept. These activities are short essay responses to reinforce writing practice and critical thinking skills. *Journal Activities strengthen the students' connection to the material covered as they reflect, record, and revisit their own thoughts and opinions on guided journal exercises. *Spotlight on Research. These boxed features highlight valuable research studies. Once research is presented, students are then asked to reflect and respond. *Principle Boxes highlight specific principles relevant to chapter material and can be used as a study reference or to launch class activities/discussions. *Real families presented in case studies make the data and research come to life. *Each chapter opens with Chapter Outlines and concludes with Chapter Summary, Study Questions, and a Key Terms List.

Learn the fundamentals of family therapy and treatment! An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy presents insight and analysis from 20 of the foremost experts in the theoretical and practice areas of family therapy, offering a unique blend of approaches and styles. Chapters draw on each author's area of expertise in exploring the history of family therapy and the application of systems theory to families. Ideal as a comprehensive resource for entry-level students, the book also gives undergraduates a glimpse of graduate training and provides useful tips on how to apply to graduate school and what to expect while shopping for graduate education. An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy is divided into two parts: a theoretical section, where commonly used theories are presented with practical case examples, and a section devoted to special issues and topics, such as couples therapy, communication training, marital enrichment and premarital counseling. The book also covers substance abuse, divorce, gender and culture, family violence, sexual dysfunctions and sex therapy treatment, and the interface of ethics and the legal system. An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy also discusses: the history of family therapy systems theory and cybernetics structural and strategic family therapy cognitive-behavioral, experiential, and transgenerational therapies collaborative language-based models current research findings and much more! With its unique and comprehensive approach, An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy serves as a theoretical introduction to the field of marriage and therapy and related mental health disciplines where family treatment is emphasized. The book is essential for educators in marriage and family counseling classes and is an invaluable resource for therapists, counselors, social work professionals, pastoral educators, and family psychologists.

For contextual therapists, contextually oriented pastoral counselors and their students, this is a longawaited textbook on the approach founded by Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, one of the pioneers of family therapy which has been updated with a new terminology and new explanations in a highly understandable language. For readers coming from the field of individual therapy, couple and family therapy of any school, and for practitioners in the field of health and human services, this book can open new ways of thinking and new strategies to address many of the situations they are likely to encounter. The book offers answers to questions such as: How to help children and families who have been affected by the multigenerational consequences of relational and systemic injustices or by violence? How to help teens who display antisocial behaviors to re-engage positively in society? How to help individuals to balance their loyalty to their family with their own personal aspirations? How to help groups to discover that group loyalty does not have to be an obstacle to intergroup solidarity? In addition, in a format never tried before, this book includes a discussion of the contributions of contextual therapy to practical theology and the pastoral process. It also shows the relevance of the approach for interreligious studies and interfaith encounters in a world that is increasingly diverse and polarized. Conversely, it spells out what contextual therapists and other practitioners can learn from these fields. Professionals who abide by secularism or adhere to non‑Christian religious and spiritual practices may be taken by surprise but they will quickly discover that this book and the inspiration offered by the pastoral process and interfaith studies for the revitalization of relationships can bring a lot to any reader who believes in shared universal human values.