Essentials of Family Therapy, The (4th Edition)

The Essentials of Family Therapy, Fourth Edition

Michael P. Nichols

College of William and Mary

The fourth edition of The Essentials of Family Therapy examines the rich history, classic schools, and latest developments in family therapy, while also emphasizing a practical clinical focus.

Highlights of the New Edition

• Basic techniques of family therapy have been revised and expanded, with increased attention paid to assessment and intervention (Chapter 3).
• Additional coverage of systems theory and new findings on the relationship between attachment and family violence have been added (Chapter 4).
• A new section on the latest research findings on Bowen systems therapy has been added  (Chapter 5).
• Jay Haley’s section on strategic therapy has been expanded to include several new case studies illustrating the details of technique (Chapter 6).
• A new section on story-telling techniques used in family therapy with young children has been included (Chapter 8).
• Coverage of the actual techniques of cognitive-behavioral family therapy, including additional case material, has been increased (Chapter 10).
• A brand new section on the practice of feminist family therapy, emphasizing techniques and illustrated with case material, has been introduced  (Chapter 11).
• NEW! Chapter on solution-focused therapy was written with the assistance of leading practitioners of this approach. It takes a more thorough and sympathetic look at this approach, and includes an increased amount of clinical material and case studies (Chapter 12).
• NEW!  A chapter on narrative family therapy also written with the assistance of leading practitioners, includes additional clinical material and case studies (Chapter 13).
• NEW!  A chapter on research in family therapy emphasizes principles of research as well as summarizes research findings (Chapter 16).