| Acknowledgments | p. xi |
| Preface | p. xv |
| A Synthesis of Family Therapy Concepts | p. 1 |
| Our Basic Treatment Framework: Overlapping and Interlocking Concepts | p. 3 |
| Our Philosophical Stance | p. 3 |
| Systems Theory | p. 6 |
| Bowen Theory | p. 7 |
| Object Relations Theory | p. 8 |
| Postmodern Constructivism | p. 10 |
| The Developmental Family Life-Cycle Paradigm | p. 12 |
| Contextual Influences | p. 16 |
| Comparing and Contrasting Earlier Models with Postmodern Thinking | p. 18 |
| Connecting What We Think with What We Do | p. 20 |
| Methods of Intervention | p. 21 |
| Guidelines for Assessment and Evaluation of the Couple System | p. 25 |
| Countertransference: Identifying the Therapist's Own Emotional Responses | p. 30 |
| Identifying and Managing Intense Reactivity of Clients | p. 31 |
| Ethical and Therapeutic Dilemmas | p. 33 |
| Therapeutic Responsibility: Some Ethical and Legal Considerations | p. 33 |
| Our Philosophy Regarding Diagnosis and Labeling | p. 35 |
| Indications and Contraindications for Couple Therapy | p. 37 |
| The Case Study of Laura and Michael | p. 41 |
| The Initial Contact--The Couple as a System | p. 43 |
| The First Telephone Call | p. 44 |
| Reframing | p. 44 |
| Individual or Couple Work | p. 45 |
| The First Session: The Affair Revealed | p. 48 |
| The Power of Family-of-Origin Influences | p. 50 |
| The Couple's Attraction | p. 51 |
| Focus on Strengths and Instilling Hope | p. 52 |
| Join the Couple System | p. 54 |
| Clarify Each Partner's Perception of Problem | p. 55 |
| Connect Presenting Problem to Family-of-Origin | p. 55 |
| Set the Frame and Boundaries of Therapy | p. 56 |
| Family Secrets Exposed | p. 57 |
| Clarification of the Visual Picture of Laura and Michael's Genogram | p. 59 |
| The Crowded Marital Bed | p. 62 |
| Planning the Next Steps of Therapy | p. 63 |
| Boundaries and the Couple System | p. 63 |
| Boundaries Between Self and Other | p. 64 |
| Object Relations Theory | p. 65 |
| Projective Identification: An Intrapsychic and Interpersonal Concept of Object Relations Theory | p. 67 |
| The Couple's Dance | p. 69 |
| Punctuate Strengths of Couple | p. 70 |
| Triangular Patterns | p. 70 |
| Loops, Patterns, and Circularity | p. 73 |
| Internalized-Other Interviewing: Creating a Pathway for Change | p. 76 |
| Externalizing Conversations: Creating More Pathways for Change | p. 76 |
| The Art of Questioning | p. 78 |
| Circular Questioning | p. 78 |
| Reflexive Questions | p. 79 |
| Guidelines for Crafting Questions That Generate Change | p. 80 |
| Unconscious Agendas | p. 83 |
| Jennifer Reed's Crowded Bed | p. 84 |
| Belief Systems of Jennifer Reed | p. 85 |
| Containment Versus Disclosure | p. 85 |
| Impact of Countertransference Disclosure | p. 87 |
| Gender Influences | p. 88 |
| Ethnicity and Religious Influences | p. 89 |
| Internal Processing and Musings of Jennifer Reed | p. 90 |
| The Untouchable Wound | p. 93 |
| Opening Windows of Vulnerability | p. 95 |
| The Impact of Stories, Secrets, and Myths | p. 96 |
| Grief, Loss, and Healing | p. 97 |
| Secrecy and Shame | p. 97 |
| Exploring the Nonverbal Realm | p. 98 |
| A Psychodramatic Journey with Laura and Michael | p. 99 |
| The Ripple Effect of Change | p. 104 |
| Effects of Couple Therapy upon the Children | p. 106 |
| Effects of Couple Therapy upon Family-of-Origin | p. 106 |
| Rituals Relating to the Life Cycle | p. 109 |
| Endings and New Beginnings | p. 110 |
| Varieties of Endings in Therapy | p. 114 |
| Our Step-by-Step Treatment Format with Various Populations | p. 117 |
| Becoming a Couple in a Mixed Marriage | p. 119 |
| The Interconnection of Interactions at Different Levels of a System | p. 124 |
| A Hispanic Couple with Teenage Children | p. 127 |
| Grief, Loss, and the Family Life Cycle | p. 129 |
| Ethnic and Cultural Considerations | p. 132 |
| Crisis Work with a Couple Encountering Multiple Losses at Midlife | p. 135 |
| Vicki and Bob's Story | p. 135 |
| A Blended Marriage | p. 140 |
| Family Composition at a Glance | p. 141 |
| The Ruptured Bond | p. 144 |
| Continuation of Therapy with the Wilder Family | p. 144 |
| The Blending of Therapists' and Clients' Cultures | p. 148 |
| Remarriage: The Blending of Multiple Cultures | p. 148 |
| Couples Facing Aging, Illness, and Death | p. 151 |
| A Personal Examination of Loss | p. 153 |
| Reflections about Self-Disclosure | p. 154 |
| Family Beliefs and Attitudes about Illness and Death | p. 155 |
| Vignette | p. 155 |
| Assumptions Underpinning Our Work With Grief and Loss | p. 156 |
| Couples Experiencing Domestic Violence | p. 158 |
| Overview of Domestic Violence | p. 158 |
| A Supervision Session | p. 162 |
| Assessment and Treatment of Domestic Violence: The Model of the Southern California Counseling Center | p. 163 |
| Dialogue of Consultation | p. 164 |
| Therapist's Biases, Prejudices, and Concerns Regarding the Subject of Domestic Violence | p. 166 |
| Necessary Knowledge and Skills | p. 166 |
| Working with Sexually Distressed Couples | p. 168 |
| Evolving Paradigms in Human Sexuality | p. 168 |
| Taking a Sexual History | p. 169 |
| Mike and Lynn | p. 171 |
| Sexual Intimacy: A Developmental Task | p. 173 |
| Working with the Lesbian and Gay Population: It Starts with Self-Examination | p. 175 |
| Working with Oppressed Populations | p. 178 |
| Meeting the Challenge: Developing Culturally Sensitive Training Contexts | p. 179 |
| Personal Reflections | p. 180 |
| Glossary | p. 183 |
| Bibliography | p. 192 |
| Index | p. 199 |
| Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved. |
