Attachment Processes in Couple and Family Therapy

Attachment Processes in Couple and Family Therapy

by SusanM.Johnson (Editor), ValerieE.Whiffen (Editor)

Synopsis

Offering fresh and provocative insights on the practice of couple and family therapy, this unique volume shows how attachment theory can inform, enhance, and guide interventions for a wide range of relationship problems and clinical issues. Chapters from leading attachment researchers and family therapists integrate the literature from both fields to provide a multifaceted perspective on the role of attachment in distressed and satisfying relationships. Illustrated with evocative clinical material, the book presents research-based therapy models for embattled couples, families struggling with parent-child conflict and adolescent problems, and adoptive and foster families. Also discussed are ways to support stronger mother-infant attachment; attachment-oriented interventions for couples facing specific clinical problems, including depression, PTSD, and chronic pain; applications for same-sex couples; and much more.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 411
Edition: 1
Publisher: Guilford Press
Published: 28 Aug 2003

ISBN 10: 1572308737
ISBN 13: 9781572308732

Media Reviews
For decades, the family therapy field seemed addicted to the idea that families and couples `operate like machines. Fortunately, attachment theory has come on the scene of late to give couple and family therapists a secure conceptual base for understanding what is fundamental to close, committed relationships. Johnson and Whiffen's outstanding new book organizes the best of what is known about attachment theory and family therapy, and will serve as a springboard for creative new developments in this important area for a long time to come. --Alan S. Gurman, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Medical School

Johnson and Whiffen should be commended for providing a remarkable resource for couple and family therapists and researchers alike. This book brings together a stellar set of contributions offering a unique blend of basic scholarship and creative application. The result is essential reading for graduate students and a 'must-have' handbook for clinicians of all theoretical persuasions. Readers will find a theoretical framework for the field of couple and family therapy that is comprehensive, data-based, and integrative. I enthusiastically recommend this volume to anyone interested in couple and family functioning or strategies of intervention. --Steven R. H. Beach, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia

This impressive volume provides a theory-rich account of human attachment bonds and the development and treatment of relationship problems. It draws together leading researchers and clinicians in the areas of developmental psychology, social psychology, and couple and family therapy. The contributors offer new insights into the links among emotional experience, relationship behavior, and individual adjustment, together with valuable techniques for strengthening intimate relationships. --Judith A. Feeney, PhD, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Australia

This book has been an excellent addition to my training curriculum. As a text in a graduate-level marriage and family therapy training seminar, the book provides students with an essential theoretical foundation for understanding the manifestation of attachment dynamics in a clinical setting. Its coverage of diverse clinical applications and populations is invaluable to the students as they work to integrate theory and practice. --Craig W. Smith, PhD, Marriage and Family Therapy Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Author Bio
Susan M. Johnson, EdD, is Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa, Canada; Distinguished Research Professor in the Marital and Family Therapy Program at Alliant International University in San Diego; Director of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (www.iceeft.com); and Director of the Ottawa Couple and Family Institute. Widely published, she is the leading developer of emotionally focused therapy, which she teaches extensively in North America and internationally. Dr. Johnson is a recipient of honors including the Order of Canada--the highest civilian award given by the Canadian government, for outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation--and the Distinguished Contribution to Family Systems Research Award from the American Family Therapy Academy. Her website is www.drsuejohnson.com.

Valerie E. Whiffen, PhD, Professor of Psychology in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, has published widely in the area of depression, particularly focusing on women's depression. In recent publications, she has explored an attachment theory-based understanding of depression that co-occurs with marital distress. Dr. Whiffen teaches graduate courses in adult psychopathology and interpersonal theory, and supervises the clinical work of practicum students and interns in the American Psychological Association-accredited clinical psychology program at the University of Ottawa. She is a registered clinical psychologist and maintains a private practice specializing in the treatment of depression and marital distress.