Relational Family Therapy

Relational Family Therapy introduces a cutting-edge family and couple therapy model that synthesizes relational theories and integrates object relations theory with interpersonal psychoanalysis and self-psychology. The model holds that individuals deal with conflicts rooted in the frustrated and threatening environment they grew up in by later forming intimate relationships that are comparable to the core experiences from their primary family systems. The book outlines the three levels of experience—systemic, interpersonal, and intrapsychic—and provide concrete ways for the therapist to address client problems and promote affect regulation. Chapters include transcripts of actual family therapy sessions as well as genograms so readers can see the model in action.

The Relational Systems Model for Family Therapy presents a multi-systems approach to family therapy that teaches the therapist important self-differentiating capacities that set the tone for creating a powerful therapeutic atmosphere. While the model demands no specific treatment procedures, it does rely on the therapist’s capacity to adhere to its basic ideas, as she/he is the most vital factor in the model’s success. In The Relational Systems Model for Family Therapy, Author Donald R. Bardill encourages the therapist to be the learning vehicle for the integration of the four realities of life (self, other, context, spiritual) and the differentiating process that is necessary for human survival, safety, and growth. Understanding this model allows therapists to lead clients to heightened self-awareness and the realization of their human potential--both important factors for intellectual growth, emotional maturity, and problem solving. To this end, readers learn about: the self-differentiating therapist--the person-of-the-therapist is the crucial variable in an effective family treatment process the facing process--the client faces such issues as self-identity, life-purpose, thought and behavior patterns, emotionalized fears, and the future emotionalized right/wrong--focus is on consequences of actions rather than right/wrong judgments in relationship issues life stances--the uniqueness of the individual affects their connection to the life realities family grid--a way for the therapist to organize and talk about important family systems dynamics the therapeutic paradox--the client’s worldview is examined through the therapist’s worldview and a new worldview is formed The Relational Systems Model for Family Therapy is an important handbook for practitioners and students in the fields of clinical social work, psychology, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, counseling psychology, pastoral counseling, and psychiatric nursing. The book is also useful as a supplemental text for advanced undergraduate classes and postgraduate seminars in family therapy and family counseling. The self-differentiation nature of the content also lends this book useful to self-help readers.

Relational Family Therapy introduces a cutting-edge family and couple therapy model that synthesizes relational theories and integrates object relations theory with interpersonal psychoanalysis and self-psychology. The model holds that individuals deal with conflicts rooted in the frustrated and threatening environment they grew up in by later forming intimate relationships that are comparable to the core experiences from their primary family systems. The book outlines the three levels of experience—systemic, interpersonal, and intrapsychic—and provide concrete ways for the therapist to address client problems and promote affect regulation. Chapters include transcripts of actual family therapy sessions as well as genograms so readers can see the model in action.

Jordan explores the history, theory, and practice of relationship centered, culturally oriented psychotherapy. This new edition highlights new research on the effectiveness of RCT in a variety of real-world situations such as developing team-building exercises in workplaces, and providing a theoretical frame for an E.U.-sponsored conference on human trafficking.

This path-breaking volume introduces Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy for clinical work with troubled couples. Practice-focused and engaging, it integrates real-world knowledge of the intersections of gender, culture, power, and identity in relationships with empirical findings on the neurobiology of attraction. Case examples detail the process of therapists in the moment as they develop both their clinical skills and their understanding of the social contexts fueling couples' difficulties. Applications of the method, which can be used with same-sex couples as well as heterosexual ones, are shown in addressing infidelity, tapping into partners' spirituality, and modeling and encouraging mutual respect and support. Among the topics covered: Undoing gendered power in heterosexual couple relationships. Interpersonal neurobiology, couples, and the societal context. How gender discourses hijack couple therapy—and how it can be avoided. How SERT therapists develop interventions that address the larger context. Building a circle of care in same-sex couple relationships. Couple therapy with adult survivors of child abuse: gender, power, and trust. Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy opens out practical new possibilities for marriage and family therapists, clinical psychologists, social workers, and counselors seeking ideas for more meaningful couples work.

Winner of the 2014 Goethe Award for Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Scholarship! A Relational Psychoanalytic Approach to Couples Psychotherapy presents an original model of couples treatment integrating ideas from a host of authors in relational psychoanalysis. It also includes other psychoanalytic traditions as well as ideas from other social sciences. This book addresses a vacuum in contemporary psychoanalysis devoid of a comprehensively relational way to think about the practice of psychoanalytically oriented couples treatment. In this book,Philip Ringstrom sets out a theory of practice that is based on three broad themes: The actualization of self experience in an intimate relationship The partners' capacity for mutual recognition versus mutual negation The relationship having a mind of its own Based on these three themes, Ringstrom's model of treatment is articulated in six non-linear, non-hierarchical steps that wed theory with practice - each powerfully illustrated with case material. These steps initially address the therapist’s attunement to the partners' disparate subjectivities including the critical importance of each one's perspective on the "reality" they co-habit.Their perspectives are fleshed out through the exploration of their developmental histories with focus on factors of gender and culture and more. Out of this arises the examination of how conflictual pasts manifest in dissociated self-states, the illumination of which lends to the enrichment of self-actualization, the facilitation of mutual recognition, and the capacity to more genuinely renegotiate their relationship. The book concludes with a chapter that illustrates one couple treated through all six steps and a chapter on frequently asked questions ("FAQ's") derived from over thirty years of practice, teaching, supervision and presentations during the course of this books development. A Relational Psychoanalytic Approach to Couples Psychotherapy balances a great range of ways to work with couples, while also providing the means to authentically negotiate their differences in a way which is insightful and invaluable. This book is for practitioners of couples therapy and psychoanalytic practitioners. It is also aimed at undergraduate, graduates, and postgraduate students in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, marriage and family therapy, and social work.

In this book we present a comprehensive view of a systemic approach to working with families, initiated by Karl Tomm more than two decades ago at the Calgary Family Therapy Centre in Canada. The contributors of this edited book articulate the IPscope framework as it was originally designed and its evolution over time. We invite you, experienced professionals and new family therapists, to join with us to explore some of the mysteries of human relationships. While the focus on our explorations revolves around clinical mental health problems and initiatives towards solutions, the concepts are applicable in many domains of daily life. They highlight the ways in which we, as persons, invite each other into recurrent patterns of interaction that generate and maintain some stability in our continuously changing relationships. The stabilities arise when our invitations become coupled and can be characterized as mutual; yet, they always remain transient. What is of major significance is that these transient relational stabilities can have major positive or negative effects in our lives. Consequently, we could all potentially benefit from greater awareness of the nature of these patterns, how particular patterns arise, and how we might be able to influence them.

Grounded in theory, research, and extensive clinical experience, this pragmatic book addresses critical questions of how change occurs in couple and family therapy and how to help clients achieve better results. The authors show that regardless of a clinician's orientation or favored techniques, there are particular therapist attributes, relationship variables, and other factors that make therapy--specifically, therapy with couples and families--effective. The book explains these common factors in depth and provides hands-on guidance for capitalizing on them in clinical practice and training. User-friendly features include numerous case examples and a reproducible common factors checklist.