The Alcoholic Family in Recovery: A Developmental Model

Most treatments for alcoholism have focused on abstinence as their final goal and emphasize brief interventions with the addicted individual. But family relationships change dramatically when the alcoholic stops drinking--in fact, stress, turmoil, and uncertainty are the norm. This volume details how to help families regroup after abstinence, ride out periods of emotional upheaval, and find their way to establishing a more stable, yet flexible, family system. Using a compelling case-study format to illustrate the process of change, the book presents the moving personal experiences of families at different stages of the recovery process. Expanding the therapist's role to include psychoeducation and supportive counseling, the authors provide pointers for assessment at key stages of recovery and guide clinicians through bringing about lasting change.

Stephanie Brown, PhD, is a clinician, teacher, researcher, consultant, and author in the field of alcoholism. She founded the Alcohol Clinic at Stanford University Medical Center in 1977 and served as its director for 8 years. A Research Associate at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, California, where she is Co-Director of the Family Recovery Project, Dr. Brown also maintains a private practice and directs the Addictions Institute in Menlo Park, California.

Virginia Lewis, PhD, a licensed psychologist, educational psychologist, and marriage, family, and child counselor, is Co-Director of the Family Recovery Project and Senior Research Fellow at the Mental Research Institute. In addition to her full-time private practice, she gives lectures and workshops on the Family Recovery Project and is coordinating and analyzing test data for journal publications. She has coauthored and been awarded several research grants with associates at the Mental Research Institute over the past 20 years, and has lent her skills to a number of research projects.