Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy

Joseph L. Wetchler, PhD, is Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, Indiana. He was named a Legacy Scholar in 2013 by the Family Therapy section of the National Council on Family Relations for outstanding contributions to the field, and has been on the editorial boards of the most distinguished journals in the field.Lorna L. Hecker, PhD, LMFT, CHPS, is Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, Indiana, and is the Director of the Couple and Family Center there. She is the author or co-author of numerous books on Marriage and Family Therapy, some of which are staples in the field.

"This book provides a scholarly and practical approach to the advancements in the field of family therapy. Readers will benefit from discussions on the influence of gender, culture, spirituality, and sexual orientation. This well-conceived text is a must-read for those who are teaching, learning, and looking to expand their knowledge about family therapy approaches, research, and ethical issues." -- Jennifer Hodgson, PhD, LMFT, Professor, East Carolina University; Former Chair, Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education"Drs. Wetchler and Hecker have recruited the top thinkers in family therapy theory and practice to share their knowledge of the field in this revised volume. This text presents critical and often overlooked information about both the history of family therapy and the field’s most contemporary issues in a clear, easy-to-read manner. It is a perfect addition to any MFT’s bookshelf, whether you are just orienting yourself to the world of family therapy or have been practicing for a lifetime." --Katherine M. Hertlein, PhD, Program Director, UNLV; Co-author, The Couple and Family Technology Framework"This second edition remains an engaging, pithy introduction to the rich history and practice of marriage and family therapy. The authors include as central concepts contextual issues of gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, and spirituality. They extend their focus into the future through topics such as the emergence of evidence-based therapy and common factors, and the role of marriage and family therapy in addressing critical clinical issues such as mental and physical illnesses, family violence, substance abuse, and sexual dysfunction. This is a perfect master’s-level text, but it is also for anyone who wants to know more about the breadth, depth, and trajectory of our evolving, dynamic field." --Fred P. Piercy, PhD, Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, Virginia Tech; Editor, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy

• Part 1: Foundational Pillars of Contemporary Family Therapy 1. The History of Marriage and Family Therapy C.McGeorge,T.S. Carlson, J. Wetchler, 2. General Systems Theory, Cybernetics, and Family Therapy L. Hecker, G. Mims, S. Boughner 3. Contextual Issues in Marital and Family Therapy: Gender, Culture, Sexual Orientation, and Spirituality K. Lyness, S. Haddock, T. Zimmerman Part 2: Theories in Marriage and Family Therapy 4. Structural Family Therapy J. Durtschi, .J. Wetchler 5. Strategic Family Therapy K. Rosen, M. Lechtenburg, S. Stith 6. Milan Systemic Therapy J. Adams 7. Social Constructionist Family Therapies A. Rambo, T. Boyd 8. Experiential Family Therapies V. Thomas, T. Krum 9. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Couples and Families N. Epstein, M. Falconier 10. Transgenerational Family Therapies J. Ramisch, T. Nelson Part 3: Special Issues and Topics in Marriage and Family Therapy 11. Couple Therapy K. Helmeke, A. Prouty-Lyness, G. Bischof, 12. Communication Training, Marriage Enrichment, and Premarital Counseling L. Williams 13. Sexual Dysfunctions and Sex Therapy J. Atwood 14. Special Topics in Family Therapy J. Priest, C. Salts, T. Smith 15. Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy L. Hecker 16. Research in Marriage and Family Therapy R. Bischoff