Basic Family Therapy
6th Edition
Published on 16. August 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
324 pages
978-1-119-94505-5 (ISBN)
Description
The challenge facing the authors of texts that address the multiplicity and complexity of problems that may afflict families can be intimidating. Philip Barker has addressed this challenge head-on in each of the editions of this book. This task has been greatly facilitated by the contributions of the new co-author, Jeff Chang, and in this edition provides a clear, easily read and readily understandable introduction to family therapy. Much has happened in the field of family therapy since the fifth edition of Basic Family Therapy was published in 2007. New developments covered in this book include:
Emotionally Focused Therapy
The Gottman approach to couples therapy
Mindfulness and psychotherapy
The common factors approach to psychotherapy and to family therapy
The increased emphasis on empirically supported treatments
High-conflict post-divorce parenting
Basic Family Therapy will be of value to readers new to family therapy and to those in the early stages of training.
Emotionally Focused Therapy
The Gottman approach to couples therapy
Mindfulness and psychotherapy
The common factors approach to psychotherapy and to family therapy
The increased emphasis on empirically supported treatments
High-conflict post-divorce parenting
Basic Family Therapy will be of value to readers new to family therapy and to those in the early stages of training.
Reviews / Votes
It was a pleasure and a privilege to read the sixth edition of this book. It is more difficult, however, to write an adequate introduction, as there are few enthusiastic phrases that have not already been invoked to describe the various editions of Philip Barker's book that have appeared since the first in 1981.I would like to be clear that this is an eminently readable book for those who are new to the discipline. Anyone who is not new to the discipline, however, and has seen a previous version will know this; readers and reviewers before me have commented on the skill of the author, who could write a book on the complex and theoretically diverse domain of family therapy that is at once scholarly yet thoroughly accessible. Readers of previous editions will find the update worthwhile and may be reassured to note a familiar ordering to many of the chapters.
Glenda M. MacQueen, MD, FRCPC, PhD. - Vice Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada
More details
Edition
6th edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Hoboken
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 165 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
499 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-119-94505-5 (9781119945055)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Philip Barker is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry in the University of Calgary. Now retired from active clinical practice, he practiced family therapy, and supervised many students from the early 1970s. A Life Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and a Life Member of the Canadian Psychiatric Association, he is the sole author of the previous five editions of BPF.
Dr Jeff Chang is an active proponent of family therapy: he will promote the book at future presentations.
Dr Jeff Chang is an active proponent of family therapy: he will promote the book at future presentations.
Content
Foreword ix
Introduction xiii
1 The Development of Family Therapy 1
Family therapy's early years 1
1990s and the new millennium 9
Summary 13
References 14
2 Healthy Families and Their Development 19
Ethnic variations 21
The functions of families 21
Family development 22
The clinical importance of family developmental stages 23
Optimal family functioning 24
Summary 26
References 26
3 Some Basic Theoretical Concepts 27
Theories derived from individual and group psychotherapy 27
Other theories that have been used in family therapy 28
Other concepts and terms 41
Summary 46
References 46
4 Adopting and Refining a Model of Family Therapy 50
The nature of theories and models 50
Developing your model of family therapy 52
Selecting and adapting a model of family therapy 54
Summary 54
References 55
5 Models for the Assessment of Families 57
Critical distinctions in assessment 58
Conceptual approaches to family assessment 59
The Beavers Systems Model of Family Functioning 64
The Darlington Family Assessment System 66
Respective utility of family assessment models 67
Summary 68
References 68
6 The Family Diagnostic Interview 70
The initial contact 70
Joining the family and establishing rapport 71
Defining the desired outcome 75
Reviewing the family's history, determining its developmental stage and constructing a genogram 75
Assessing the current functioning of the family 79
Developing a diagnostic formulation 83
Offering the family feedback and recommendations 84
Discussing and arranging the next step 85
Feedback to referring professionals 86
Summary 86
References 87
7 Establishing Treatment Goals 88
Defining the desired state 89
Intermediate and final goals 92
Motivating families to consider and set objectives 92
Summary 93
References 94
8 When is Family Therapy Indicated? 95
Basic criteria for employing family therapy 96
Differing views on the place of family therapy 97
Some views on indications 98
The 'decision tree' 100
Contraindications for family therapy 103
Summary 105
References 106
9 Practical Points in the Treatment of Families 108
Involving reluctant family members 108
Maintaining a therapeutic alliance 113
Involving children in family sessions 115
The therapist's use of self 118
Transference issues 118
Contracts 119
The spacing of sessions 119
Confidentiality 120
Observers 121
Co-therapy 123
Summary 125
References 125
10 Common Family Problems and Their Treatment 127
Introduction 127
Task accomplishment problems 127
Serious basic task accomplishment problems 132
Communication problems 134
Poorly defined and dysfunctional role patterns 137
Summary 144
References 144
11 Complex Problems and Second-Order Change 147
Interrupting problem patterns 147
Techniques focusing on changing meaning 156
The use of humour 161
Strategic teams 162
A second-order cybernetic approach: therapy as conversation 163
Summary 167
References 168
12 Other Therapeutic Approaches 172
Experiential approaches 172
Video playback 175
Family music therapy 175
Family art therapy 176
Family play therapy 177
Family resilience and ecological interventions 178
Family therapy and serious mental illness 182
Mindfulness practices 186
Innovative formats for service delivery 187
Conclusion 190
References 190
13 A Method of Therapy 199
Treatment by stages 200
Termination in family therapy 211
Summary 212
References 213
14 Couple Therapy 215
The history of couple therapy 215
General considerations in couple therapy 217
Current approaches to couple therapy 220
Divorce therapy and mediation 227
Sex therapy 228
Summary 230
References 231
15 Terminating Treatment and Dealing with Treatment Interruptions 236
Treatment contracts 236
Open contracts 237
Indications for ending treatment 238
How to terminate treatment 241
Termination tasks and ritual 243
Emotional and psychological aspects of termination 243
Follow-up 244
Dealing with treatment interruptions 245
Summary 246
References 247
16 Teaching and Learning Family Therapy 248
Who learns family therapy? 250
The different possible learning experiences 251
Methods of learning family therapy 251
Audiovisual aids 253
Objectives 254
Learning family therapy skills 255
The content of training 256
Supervision 257
Learning to supervise 258
Consultation 260
Summary 263
References 263
17 Research in Family Therapy 265
Why is family therapy research important? 266
Is family therapy effective? 266
What makes family therapy effective? 267
Is family therapy cost-effective? 270
How can practitioners be more involved in research? 270
Summary 271
References 272
18 Ethics and Family Therapy 275
Informed consent 277
Therapists' values 278
Confidentiality 279
Ethical decision making 281
Keeping informed and up to date 283
Ethical issues in family therapy research 283
Summary 284
References 284
Appendix 286
Index 291
Introduction xiii
1 The Development of Family Therapy 1
Family therapy's early years 1
1990s and the new millennium 9
Summary 13
References 14
2 Healthy Families and Their Development 19
Ethnic variations 21
The functions of families 21
Family development 22
The clinical importance of family developmental stages 23
Optimal family functioning 24
Summary 26
References 26
3 Some Basic Theoretical Concepts 27
Theories derived from individual and group psychotherapy 27
Other theories that have been used in family therapy 28
Other concepts and terms 41
Summary 46
References 46
4 Adopting and Refining a Model of Family Therapy 50
The nature of theories and models 50
Developing your model of family therapy 52
Selecting and adapting a model of family therapy 54
Summary 54
References 55
5 Models for the Assessment of Families 57
Critical distinctions in assessment 58
Conceptual approaches to family assessment 59
The Beavers Systems Model of Family Functioning 64
The Darlington Family Assessment System 66
Respective utility of family assessment models 67
Summary 68
References 68
6 The Family Diagnostic Interview 70
The initial contact 70
Joining the family and establishing rapport 71
Defining the desired outcome 75
Reviewing the family's history, determining its developmental stage and constructing a genogram 75
Assessing the current functioning of the family 79
Developing a diagnostic formulation 83
Offering the family feedback and recommendations 84
Discussing and arranging the next step 85
Feedback to referring professionals 86
Summary 86
References 87
7 Establishing Treatment Goals 88
Defining the desired state 89
Intermediate and final goals 92
Motivating families to consider and set objectives 92
Summary 93
References 94
8 When is Family Therapy Indicated? 95
Basic criteria for employing family therapy 96
Differing views on the place of family therapy 97
Some views on indications 98
The 'decision tree' 100
Contraindications for family therapy 103
Summary 105
References 106
9 Practical Points in the Treatment of Families 108
Involving reluctant family members 108
Maintaining a therapeutic alliance 113
Involving children in family sessions 115
The therapist's use of self 118
Transference issues 118
Contracts 119
The spacing of sessions 119
Confidentiality 120
Observers 121
Co-therapy 123
Summary 125
References 125
10 Common Family Problems and Their Treatment 127
Introduction 127
Task accomplishment problems 127
Serious basic task accomplishment problems 132
Communication problems 134
Poorly defined and dysfunctional role patterns 137
Summary 144
References 144
11 Complex Problems and Second-Order Change 147
Interrupting problem patterns 147
Techniques focusing on changing meaning 156
The use of humour 161
Strategic teams 162
A second-order cybernetic approach: therapy as conversation 163
Summary 167
References 168
12 Other Therapeutic Approaches 172
Experiential approaches 172
Video playback 175
Family music therapy 175
Family art therapy 176
Family play therapy 177
Family resilience and ecological interventions 178
Family therapy and serious mental illness 182
Mindfulness practices 186
Innovative formats for service delivery 187
Conclusion 190
References 190
13 A Method of Therapy 199
Treatment by stages 200
Termination in family therapy 211
Summary 212
References 213
14 Couple Therapy 215
The history of couple therapy 215
General considerations in couple therapy 217
Current approaches to couple therapy 220
Divorce therapy and mediation 227
Sex therapy 228
Summary 230
References 231
15 Terminating Treatment and Dealing with Treatment Interruptions 236
Treatment contracts 236
Open contracts 237
Indications for ending treatment 238
How to terminate treatment 241
Termination tasks and ritual 243
Emotional and psychological aspects of termination 243
Follow-up 244
Dealing with treatment interruptions 245
Summary 246
References 247
16 Teaching and Learning Family Therapy 248
Who learns family therapy? 250
The different possible learning experiences 251
Methods of learning family therapy 251
Audiovisual aids 253
Objectives 254
Learning family therapy skills 255
The content of training 256
Supervision 257
Learning to supervise 258
Consultation 260
Summary 263
References 263
17 Research in Family Therapy 265
Why is family therapy research important? 266
Is family therapy effective? 266
What makes family therapy effective? 267
Is family therapy cost-effective? 270
How can practitioners be more involved in research? 270
Summary 271
References 272
18 Ethics and Family Therapy 275
Informed consent 277
Therapists' values 278
Confidentiality 279
Ethical decision making 281
Keeping informed and up to date 283
Ethical issues in family therapy research 283
Summary 284
References 284
Appendix 286
Index 291