Essential Skills in Family Therapy: From the First Interview to Termination

Essential Skills in Family Therapy is a guide of the process of therapy to be used by those learning how to do therapy. The book is also a good refresher for practicing therapists. Chapters cover topics from the beginning of therapy through termination and include special issues like working with children and adolescents. Getting started The developmental stages of new therapists are learning the essential skills, learning to conceptualize cases, and dealing with the therapist as self. Before the initial interview In the initial contact, therapists should listen and reflect what they hear and assess for crisis. This initial contact contains only basic relevant information and is not the time for interventions, advice, or suggestions. Therapists must know whether they have the knowledge and expertise to treat a problem or if they need to refer the client to someone else. The "business" of therapy, such as policies regarding making and canceling appointments and payment, should be discussed as quickly and efficiently as possible. When beginning therapy, it is helpful to know who made the initial contact and why, although the therapist should build rapport with all involved. A sample intake form is included, and the authors also discuss which family members should be involved in therapy. Initial interview The first task of the therapist is to join with the client. The credibility of therapy and/or the therapist may need to be discussed. Goals should be defined, and the therapist should begin to build motivation for change. Administrative issues like confidentiality, videotaping, observation, etc. should also be discussed. Guidelines for conducting the assessment The initial assessment is the time to explore the presenting problems, attempted solutions, and crisis and stressful life events. The therapist must constantly be aware of possible issues of harm to either self or others. Suicide, violence, abuse, substance abuse, biological factors, meaning systems, spirituality, family system, and social systems are all considered. Developing treatment focus The therapist must select the problem list, examine the history and treatment of problems, select a treatment modality, and determine the length and frequency of treatment. The treatment modality selected will be influenced by the therapist's orientation and experience, research, the financial constraints of the client, and the client's willingness and availability to follow the suggested treatment. Referrals may be considered. The therapist may wish to consult with the client's physician or request psychological testing. Basic treatment skills Therapy includes asking questions, normalizing, reframing, providing support, confronting, and pacing the therapy to meet the needs of the client. Handouts may be given to clients. In developing their expertise, beginning therapist should establish their understanding of the theoretical foundation of treatment skills; consider process an

I really enjoy this book. It answers questions you have and questions you do not know you have. You read it like a novel, but it is great! It is a step-by-step guide.

This book will take you step-by-step through the process of doing psychotherapy from beginning to end. It is very user-friendly, basic and real. Out of my 8 textbooks this semester to read, this is the one that gets read first because of the valuable information it offers.

I ordered this book as a resource to assist me in my new position as a practitioner. I have found it so helpful I told the director of our organization who is recommending it to all his new hires.

These authors teach at my school, and have taken the extensive experiences, and feelings/concerns expressed by the MFT students/interns and addressed them in this book. Great advice/tools for assessment, how to go about with the intial interview, treating the difficult client, how to set up a treatment plan, etc! This book is a lifesaver for any person just entering the field (especially if you are feeling a little overwhelmed or unsure of what to do next).