Addresses theory, practice, and outcomes of adopting an empowerment and family resource approach to supporting and strengthening individual family functioning.

In her previous book, Within Our Reach, renowned Harvard social analyst Lisbeth Schorr examined pilot social programs that were successful in helping disadvantaged youth and families. But as those cutting-edge programs were expanded, the very qualities that had made them initially successful were jettisoned, and less than half of them ultimately survived. As a result, these groundbreaking programs never made a dent on the national or statewide level. Lisbeth Schorr has spent the past seven years researching and identifying large-scale programs across the country that are promising to reduce, on a community- or citywide level, child abuse, school failure, teenage pregnancy, and welfare dependence. From reformed social service agencies in Missouri, Michigan, and Los Angeles to "idiosyncratic" public schools in New York City, she shows how private and public bureaucracies are successfully nurturing programs that are flexible and responsive to the community, that have set clear, long-term goals, and that permit staff to exercise individual judgment in helping the disadvantaged. She shows how what works in small-scale pilot social programs can be adapted on a large scale to transform whole inner-city neighborhoods and reshape America. On the heels of the federal government's dismantling of welfare guarantees, Common Purpose offers a welcome antidote to our current sense of national despair, and concrete proof that America's social institutions can be made to work to assure that all the nation's children develop the tools to share in the American dream.

Family Diversity and Family Policy describes the dimensions of diversity which characterize the contemporary American family and discusses the implications for public policy and associated intervention programs linked to this diversity. The authors contend that if the programs and policies available to support families are to be most useful, they need to reflect the diversity of the families they intend to help. Beginning with a discussion of the historical and contemporary context of the American family, Family Diversity and Family Policy focuses on child poverty and argues that this topic may be usefully studied within the context of developmental systems theory. This theory systematically links the development of individuals to variations in their physical and social ecology, and is used as a framework for discussing: Contemporary challenges faced by parents charged with rearing adolescents, and the familial and societal issues that arise when the adolescents being reared are parents themselves. Current policy issues that arise from welfare debates in the United States and from recently-enacted welfare reform legislation. The importance for our nation of developing a comprehensive national youth policy. The authors draw implications for the design, delivery, and evaluation of diversity-sensitive policies and programs for families and youth, and offer a vision of how to link scholars, policy makers, and community members in multi-professional and multi-institutional collaborations promoting the positive development of American families and youth. Family Diversity and Family Policy is relevant to scholars and policy makers interested in human development, particularly of children and adolescents. In addition, it should be essential reading for practitioners and policy makers in government, private industry, and public and private social service organizations.

Strengthening Family Coping Resources (SFCR) uses a skill-building, multi-family group framework to teach constructive resources to families who have a high exposure to stress and trauma. As an intervention for high-risk families, SFCR can cause a reduction in symptoms of traumatic distress and behavior problems and help families demonstrate higher functioning. The SFCR manual is based on a systemic, family approach and uses empirically-supported trauma treatment that focuses on family ritual, storytelling, and narration, which improves communication and understanding within family members. The manual is organized into three accessible parts: • Part 1 details the theoretical and empirical foundations of SFCR • Part 2 focuses on implementation and the clinical guidelines for conducting SFCR • Part 3 contains session guidelines focused on the multi-family group versions of SFCR Each session included in the intervention is structured according to specific guidelines, and instructions provide examples of what facilitators might say to a group. Formed through the input of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and anthropologists, Strengthening Family Coping Resources will help you reduce the symptoms of traumatic stress disorders and increase coping resources in children, adult caregivers, and the family system. It also provides a novel approach to addressing co-occurring traumatic reactions in multiple family members by including developmentally appropriate skill-building activities that are reinforced with family practice. For anyone working with families in a therapeutic capacity, this manual is a must-have resource.

What exactly does it take to make marriage strong? Ron and Jody Zappia were on the brink of divorce. It was their first year of marriage and already things were falling apart. They desperately searched for anything that would help. And then, suddenly, everything changed. Today, the Zappias lead The Knot Marriage Conference where they present seven transformative principles that saved their marriage. The Marriage Knot teaches these same principles to new audiences. Full of wisdom, humor, and refreshing transparency, The Marriage Knot unpacks the choices successful couples make. Marriage, like a knot, has to be kept tight. Left to itself, it loosens over time and can completely unravel. This highly practical book focuses on the everyday decisions you can make to rejuvenate and restore your marriage. Delving into topics like communication, sex, conflict resolution, and more, it offers the tools you need for life-long marriage health. Whether you’re engaged, newlyweds, or seasoned marriage veterans, this book will help make your marriage strong, no matter what pressures attempt to unravel it.