Clinical casebook of couple therapy
Vividly depicting the process of couple therapy, this casebook provides in-depth illustrations of treatment based on the most important contemporary models. The editor and contributors are leading clinicians who represent diverse perspectives on relationship difficulties and how to resolve them. The cases reveal the nuances of couple therapy as it actually unfolds, as opposed to the cut-and-dried examples often found in treatment manuals. Up to date, engaging, and instructive, the book meets a key need for mental health practitioners and students. The introductory chapter by editor Alan S. Gurman describes the state of the art in couple therapy and presents guiding questions to help readers compare the various approaches. The rest of the book is devoted to the cases. The full range of concerns that couples bring to therapy are addressed, including conflicts surrounding intimacy, sex, power, and communication; parenting issues; family-of-origin complications; infidelity; and mental health problems. Contributors orient the reader to their respective models with a focus on how theory informs clinical practice. They show how they handle the nuts and bolts of assessment, case conceptualization, and goal setting; how sessions are structured; the techniques used to help couples make desired changes; and ways to overcome obstacles to change. Featuring couples of varying ages, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations, the cases shed light on both waht works and what doesn't work when treating intimate partners. Each chapter includes thought-provoking comments and discussion questions from the editor. Students will find this book invaluable as a text in clinical training programs. More experienced clinicians - including clinical and counseling psychologists, social workers, family therapists, psychiatrists, and pastoral counselors - will welcome it as a resource for self-study and reflection. -- from dust jacket
Print Book, English, ©2010
Guilford Press, New York, ©2010