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Introduction to Family Counseling
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Introduction to Family Counseling
A Case Study Approach


Courses:
Family Therapy

December 2015 | 368 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
“Engaging, Creative, and Practical” 
- Lakitta D. Johnson, Jackson State University  

Introduction to Family Counseling: A Case Study Approach presents basic knowledge about family counseling and applies various theoretical models to a case example looking at one nuclear family, along with its extended family members, that readers follow throughout the text.  Judy Esposito and Abbi Hattem’s multi-generational family is constructed from their experiences as professors and family therapists to exemplify the concepts and theories of family counseling.  Beyond the theories of family counseling, students learn about the family life cycle and various tools for assessing families as well as the history of family counseling.  Ethical issues relevant to family counseling are also included along with transcripts from hypothetical family counseling sessions throughout the book.  In addition, the book focuses on working with diverse families and takes special care to emphasize multicultural issues.

 
Part I: Introduction to the Family
 
Chapter 1: The Manning-Kelly Family
Cast List

 
Genogram

 
Presenting Problem

 
History of the Presenting Problem

 
Social Support

 
Clinical Observations and Impressions

 
Preliminary Assessment

 
Theoretical Conceptualization

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 2: Families and the Family Life Cycle
The Family Life Cycle

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 3: Assessing Families Traditionally and Creatively
Traditional Assessment Methods

 
Lifestyle Questionnaire

 
Family Sculpting

 
Christina's Family Sculpture

 
Family Scripting

 
Family Play Therapy

 
Family Puppet Shows

 
Family Build-A-House

 
Family Aquarium

 
Family Play Genograms

 
Conclusion

 
 
Part II: Theories of Family Counseling
 
Chapter 4: The Family Systems Approach to Family Counseling
Origins of Family Counseling

 
Family Systems and Family Dynamics

 
Family Subsystems

 
Circular Causation and Feedback Loops

 
Homeostasis and Equilibrium

 
Family Rules

 
First and Second Order Change

 
Second Order Cybernetics

 
Function of the Presenting Problem in the Family

 
Family Resiliency

 
Systemic Assessment of the Manning-Kelly Family

 
Conclusions

 
 
Chapter 5: Multi-Generational Family Counseling
Emotional Fusion and Differentiation of Self

 
Triangles

 
Nuclear Family Emotional Process

 
Family Projection Process

 
Cut-Offs

 
Multigenerational Transmissions

 
Family Roles

 
Sibling Position

 
Societal Emotional Process

 
Genograms

 
Conclusions

 
 
Chapter 6: Structural Family Counseling
Structural Family Counseling Concepts

 
Structural Family Counseling

 
Using Structural Family Counseling with the Manning-Kelly Family

 
Summary and Conclusions

 
 
Chapter 7: Experiential Family Counseling
What is Experiential Counseling?

 
Experiencing the Emotional Layer of the Family

 
The Family System

 
Experiential Counseling Interventions

 
Virginia Satir's Family Growth Model

 
Using Experiential Counseling with the Manning-Kelly Family

 
Conclusions

 
 
Chapter 8: Other Approaches to Family Counseling
Introduction

 
Adlerian Family Counseling

 
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

 
Post-Modern

 
Integrative Family Counseling

 
Conclusion

 
 
Part III: Other Aspects of Family Counseling
 
Chapter 9: Special Topics in Family Counseling
Multicultural Families

 
LGBTQIA Families

 
Single-Parent Families

 
Blended Families

 
Families with Aging Members

 
Families with Biomedical Conditions

 
Families Coping with Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders

 
Domestic Violence

 
Conclusions

 
 
Chapter 10: The Counselor's Experience Working with Families
The Power of Family Systems

 
How Families Induce Family Counselors

 
Managing Multiple Relationships

 
Comfort with Diversity

 
Experiencing the Family

 
Experiencing the Manning-Kelly and Jones Family

 
Self-Awareness, Self-Care, & Ethical Practice [+plan, bal own fam]

 
The School Counselor's Experience

 
Conclusions

 
 
Chapter 11: Ethics of Family Counseling
Introduction

 
Protecting Clients

 
Reporting Laws

 
Law and Ethics

 
Referrals

 
Self-Care

 
Scope of Practice

 
Ethical Decision-Making Model

 
Conclusions

 
 
Part IV: Current Trends in Family Counseling
 
Chapter 12: Family Issues Requiring Services Beyond Counseling
Cultural Competence Working with Multicultural Families

 
LGBTQIA

 
Single-Parent Families

 
Blended Families

 
Families with Aging Members

 
Families with Biomedical Conditions

 
Families Coping with Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorders

 
Domestic Violence

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 13: Services Available to Families
Social Services

 
School Counselors and School Social Workers

 
In-Home Services

 
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

 
Respite Care in Group Homes

 
Wilderness Therapy Programs and Camps

 
Employee Assistance Programs

 
Support for Military Families

 
Faith-Based Support Programs

 
Non-Profit Agencies

 
Referral Process

 
 
Chapter 14: What's Next for the Manning-Kelly Family?
Introduction

 
Family Counseling

 
What's Next for the Manning-Kelly and Jones Family?

 
What's Next for the Individual Family Members?

 
Family Secrets

 
Termination

 
What's Next for You as a Family Counselor?

 
Conclusion

 

"Working with Families: A Case Study Approach offers a much needed approach to engaging students in the process of understanding and helping families. By using a multi-generational family case study, the authors open a window into working with families."

Garry M. Breland
William Carey University

“Engaging, Creative, and Practical”

Lakitta D. Johnson
Jackson State University

“You get a first-hand experience of being a family counselor as you undergo the experiential process of learning terms, skills, and concerns as you work with a family throughout this text.”

Drew Curtis
Angelo State University

“Students will enjoy learning family systems from this engaging and comprehensive text.”

Shannon Wolf
Dallas Baptist University

“[Working with Families: A Case Study Approach] is extremely thorough and provides many thought provoking exercise and activities that can be used in the classroom.”

Judith E. Beechler
Midwestern State University

I adopted this text for the case study format. It was well received by the students. One downfall is the lack of substantial theory in the text. However, that can be added by the instructor. Overall, a nice text.

Mrs Tamera L Hill
Master Science Mental Health Counseling, Viterbo University
October 14, 2021
Key features

KEY FEATURES:

  • The book is organized into three parts:
    • An overview on families
    • An overview of frequently used  models of family therapy at the undergraduate level
    • Presentation of ethics, trends, and services in counseling families
  • Engaging transcripts of family counseling sessions bring concepts and theories to life while showing assessment tools, theories, needs for additional services, and ethical issues
  • Case study approach allows students to follow how family counselors think and lets them examine family issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence, and co-parenting in blended families
  • “Stop-and-Think” features challenge students to expand their perspective from individuals to families and helps students learn to think about the family in terms of group dynamics
  • Discussion topics and exercises aimed at using the students' own experiences with families as well as their reactions to the one they are following and experiential exercises are used throughout the book to illustrate and enhance learning  

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 6

Chapter 10


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