Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Couples and Families

"Dattilio provides an excellent description of the development of cognitive-behavioral couple and family therapy and its underlying principles and constructs. He offers a thought-provoking and stimulating discussion of how attachment theory and schema therapy can inform and improve couple and family treatments. Of particular value are the book's clinically rich, vivid case examples. Seasoned clinicians and students alike will find Dattilios descriptions of his interactions with couples and families to be pragmatic, flexible, integrative, and highly engaging. He is an excellent role model for how to be a sensitive and effective clinician with a variety of clients; I know I will rely on this book a great deal to train new therapists."--Kristina Coop Gordon, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee "Sweeping in scope, and backed by a thorough review of the literature, this book is an outstanding contribution to the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) literature. Dattilio covers a great deal of ground clearly and brings the reader up to date on the latest developments in the field. The book's integration of key techniques from systemic and family therapy into a CBT model makes it a core text for every therapists library."--Antony Kidman, PhD, Director, Health Psychology Unit, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Australia "This book is a 'must read' for therapists and researchers in the family field. As a comprehensive guide to cognitive-behavioral therapy with families, it will make a great textbook to be enjoyed by many generations of students. The book is a wonderful integration of research findings and case studies; the latter are especially delightful to read, and will serve as a model for students as well as for experienced therapists."--Cloe Madanes, LIC, HDL, President, The Madanes Institute, La Jolla, California "Dattilio has retained the core principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) while offering an expanded perspective on schemas. He also integrates information on neurobiology, attachment, general systems theory, mindfulness, and emotion regulation. In addition to providing a conceptual framework for therapy, the book offers specific skills and techniques such as the 'downward arrow technique' and 'behavioral rehearsal.' This is the most comprehensive guide to CBT for couples and families that Ive seen. I especially appreciate Dattilio's thoughtful examination of the role of emotions in couple interactions. This would be an excellent textbook for a theories class or a clinical practicum."--JoEllen Patterson, PhD, LMFT, Department of Counseling and Marital and Family Therapy, University of San Diego; Divisions of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Global Health, University of California, San Diego -

Frank M. Dattilio, PhD, ABPP, holds faculty positions with the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is also in the private practice of clinical and forensic psychology and marital and family therapy in Allentown, Pennsylvania. With more than 280 professional publications in the areas of couple and family problems, anxiety and behavioral disorders, and forensic and clinical psychology, Dr. Dattilio has presented extensively on CBT throughout the world. His works have been translated into more than 30 languages and are used in over 80 countries. He serves on the editorial boards of a number of professional journals, including the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy and Contemporary Family Therapy. Dr. Dattilio is a recipient of numerous awards for outstanding achievement in the fields of psychology and psychotherapy, including, most recently, the MFT of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the Outstanding Contribution to Marriage and Family Therapy Award from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

1. Introduction 2. The Mechanics of Change with Couples and Families 3. The Schema Component in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 4. The Role of Neurobiological Processes 5. Methods of Clinical Assessment 6. Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques 7. Special Topics 8. Enhancements to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 9. Case Examples 10. Epilogue Appendix A. Questionnaires and Inventories for Couples and Families Appendix B. Dysfunctional Thought Record