With its clinical focus and extremely practical presentation, the Fifth Edition of "The Essentials of Family Therapy, " examines the rich history, classic schools, and latest developments in family therapy, emphasizing clinical practice throughout.

About the Author

Michael P. Nichols has been a leading teacher and practitioner of family therapy for 40 years. He trained with Salvador Minuchin and Murray Brown and has worked with many leaders of the various schools. He's written a number of books, including the most respected textbook in family therapy, Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods, as well as the best-selling The Lost Art of Listening, and, most recently, Assessing Families and Couples: From Symptom to System (with Salvador Minuchin and Wai-Yung Lee). He currently teaches at the College of William and Mary. He is also a national champion powerlifter.

Table of Contents

Foreword Preface Major Events in the History of Family Therapy Part One: The Context of Family Therapy 1. The Foundations of Family Therapy 2. The Evolution of Family Therapy 3. Getting Started in Family Therapy: Basic Techniques 4. The Fundamental Concepts of Family Therapy Part Two: The Classic Schools of Family Therapy 5. Bowen Family Systems Therapy 6. Strategic Family Therapy 7. Structural Family Therapy 8. Experiential Family Therapy 9. Psychoanalytic Family Therapy 10. Cognitive-Behavior Family Therapy Part Three: Recent Developments in Family Therapy 11. Family Therapy in the Twenty-First Century 12. Solution-Focused Therapy 13. Narrative Therapy 14. Integrative Models Part Four: The Evaluation of Family Therapy 15. Comparative Analysis 16. Research on Family Intervention: Family Treatment and Prevention Programs Appendix A: Selected Readings Appendix B: Careers and Training Name Index Subject Index