Social Work Practice with Families: A Resiliency-based Approach

Mary Van Hook's Social Work Practice with Families is a useful guide to family therapy with a strengths-based perspective that focuses on families' vitality and capacity to thrive. The book explores resiliency as an empirically grounded framework with which to conduct assessments with families effectively. Van Hook presents a thorough discussion of contemporary treatment models, clearly demonstrating the importance of selecting appropriate treatments based on the specifics of each assessment. Using extensive case materials drawn from both the United States and Canada, this new edition explores the various factors associated with family resiliency in the context of diverse cultures, family structures, and difficult life events.

The new edition of this leading family practice text has been updated to reflect the changing nature of family therapy and the evolving needs of educators and practitioners alike. Van Hook has added valuable new information on the history of family therapy and the family life cycle, and has included sections on working with military families, families affected by substance abuse, and attachment issues. The text is firmly grounded in empirical literature on treatment models and the factors that influence resiliency in families in general, as well as in specific cultural groups, family structures, and in problem situations.

Mary Patricia Van Hook (PhD, Rutgers University; MS, Columbia University) is professor emerita of social work at the University of Central Florida and a research associate with the Center for Community Partnerships of the University of Central Florida. She was formerly director of the University of Central Florida School of Social Work and taught research and practice social work courses at the University of Central Florida, the University of Michigan, Grand Valley State University, and Northwestern College. She was also a clinical social worker and administrator for mental health and family agencies in New York, Maryland, and Iowa. She has written extensively in the areas of families, rural mental health, spirituality, and women's issues both domestically and internationally. In 2000, she received the Howery Award for outstanding contributions to rural mental health.