This welcome resource provides concrete examples of how to apply multiple family systems theories and treatment planning to common stepfamily issues. A single stepfamily case study is examined through the lenses of the Adlerian, transgenerational, prescriptive play therapy, structural, cognitive behavior, solution-focused, and narrative models to provide an understanding of the benefits of each approach and how to determine the best fit for a stepfamily's presenting issues. In addition, each chapter examines ethical concerns specific to counseling stepfamilies, issues of diversity, and current research on stepfamily assessment and therapeutic outcomes. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com *To request print copies, please visit the ACA https://imis.counseling.org/store/detail *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]
This welcome resource provides concrete examples of how to apply multiple family systems theories and treatment planning to common stepfamily issues. A single stepfamily case study is examined through the lenses of the Adlerian, transgenerational, prescriptive play therapy, structural, cognitive behavior, solution-focused, and narrative models to provide an understanding of the benefits of each approach and how to determine the best fit for a stepfamily's presenting issues. In addition, each chapter examines ethical concerns specific to counseling stepfamilies, issues of diversity, and current research on stepfamily assessment and therapeutic outcomes. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com *To request print copies, please visit the ACA https://imis.counseling.org/store/detail *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]
What determines whether stepfamilies remain together? What helps stepfamilies overcomes the difficulties of remarriage and become mutually supportive family units? How can mental health professionals better support this development? This book brings both clarity and depth to the unique and complex dynamics of remarried families. Patricia Papernow draws on interviews with over 100 stepfamily members, up-to-date research, a solid theoretical framework, and an empathic clinical sensibility to present an insightful model of stepfamily development, the Stepfamily Cycle. This details account of the sages of forming a lasting, cohesive group is richly illustrated by stepfamily members' own stories. Becoming a Stepfamily describes the developmental challenges involved in building nourishing, reliable relationships between stepparents and stepchildren, in the newly married couple, and between different family groups who must learn to live together in a remarried family. Papernow discusses the factors that influence the pace and ease of development, and she provides four full length case studies illustrating the varied paths through the stepfamily cycle to the successful remarried life. The author offers therapists, clergy, school personnel, and others involved with stepfamilies a range of effective interventions, including preventive, educational, and clinical approaches. She provides practical guidance for helping family members deal constructively with the differing attachments of children to their biological parents and stepparents, assisting stepparents as they cope with feeling excluded from the powerful biological parent-child bond, and guiding biological parents torn between their spouse's need for intimacy and privacy and their children's needs for support and attention.
Therapist's Guide to Clinical Intervention, Third Edition, is an essential reference for providing clinical services and associated case formulations requiring formalized goals and objectives. It is ideal for use in assessment, treatment, consultation, completing insurance forms, and/or participating in managed care. This practical, hand-on book, outlines treatment goals and objectives for each type of psychopathology as defined by the diagnostic and statistical manual by the American Psychiatric Association. It additionally provides skill-building resources and samples of all major professional forms likely to be used in clinical treatment.The third edition conveniently maps individualized treatment plans utilizing evidence-based best practices and standards of care. Diagnostic information is presented by associated disorder or theme for easier access. New special assessments and skill-building entries are included. Also new are numerous website/URLs associated with research articles, and consumer resources have been provided to complement clinical information and patient education. - Outlines treatment goals and objectives for DSM-IV diagnoses - Presents evidence-based best practices of intervention - Provides the basis for assessing special circumstances - Offers skill building resources to supplement treatment - Contains samples for a wide range of business and clinical forms - Supplies websites for additional clinical information and patient education
THE SECRETS TO STEPFAMILY SUCCESS offers tools that can significantly lower the alarming 70% rate of step and blended family divorce, helping families evolve into highly nurturing, reliable refuges of warmth, safety, encouragement, strength, caring, and joy. Step and blended families have a unique dynamic with which couples must cope, along with all the other normal challenges of life and marriage. See how these families differ in up to sixty structural and dynamic ways from typical intact biological families--including consisting of two co-parenting homes and ex-spouses--and learn how to successfully recognize and manage these challenges. For most couples, trying to build a successful remarriage can mysteriously bring out their deepest personal fears, longings, shames, and hopes. The key to not only survival, but living this journey well, begins with discovering opportunities to heal and to succeed; it is not about blame or badness. With the right preparation and resources, a multi-home step or blended family can be a stable and solid foundation for co-parents and children. Gloria Lintermans is the author of THE HEALING POWER OF GRIEF: The Journey Through Loss to Life and Laughter, THE HEALING POWER OF LOVE: Transcending the Loss of a Spouse to New Love, THE NEWLY DIVORCED BOOK OF PROTOCOL: How to Be Civil When You Hate Their Guts, and RETCO CHIC: A Guide to Fabulous Vintage and Designer Resale Shopping in North America & Online. Her articles have appeared in local and national magazines, and she is a retired newspaper columnist whose column has been syndicated in English and Spanish language newspapers worldwide.
This volume focuses on a wide range of behaviors and outcomes in stepfamily relationships, both positive and negative. The authors use the normative-adaptive perspective to seek out and study adaptive, well-functioning stepfamilies and find how they differ from those who struggle to cope. It will be a welcome text and reference for all those who study and work with stepfamilies and families in general.
This much-needed resource offers insight into building and maintaining satisfying and successful stepfamily relationships. As the number of stepfamilies continues to increase, counselors and other mental health professionals are likely to encounter clients seeking help in navigating these often complicated relationships. In this book, Dr. Gold emphasizes the principles and practices of narrative therapy as a means to address key concerns within the family system, reauthor dominant social myths surrounding stepfamily life, and create realistic treatment plans that are inclusive of all members of the family. Detailing the inherent strengths and challenges of the stepfamily experience, he provides an in-depth examination of the roles of each member in a blended family, including stepfathers and stepmothers, ex-spouses, grandparents, and children. This book is an excellent guide to thoughtful, practical, and empirically validated interventions for helping stepfamilies thrive. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com. *To purchase print copies, please visit the ACA website *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]
Create a Loving and Safe Environment for Your Blended Family Blended families face unique challenges, and sadly, good intentions aren’t always enough. With so many complex relationships involved, all the normal rules for family life change, even how you apply something as simple as the five love languages. That’s why Gary Chapman, the bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages® andnational expert on stepfamilies, Ron Deal, join together in this book to teach you how the five love languages can help your blended family. They’ll teach you: About the unique dynamics of stepfamilies How to overcome fear and trust issues in marriage How to develop healthy parenting and step-parenting practices How the love languages should—and should not—be applied You’re going to face many challenges, but with the right strategies and smart work, your family can be stronger and healthier together.
In this uplifting book, a number of organizations and individuals are featured as exemplary prototypes whose experiences are worthy of being disseminated to persons working in the social services. In a coherent and coordinated manner, the organizations presented reveal how their programs function to make a difference. Readers can analyze the details behind these models and utilize them in their own work to make a difference in the lives of whom they serve. Exemplary Intervention Programs for Members and Their Families reveals to readers that, in many instances, exemplary program developers were risk takers who deviated from traditional modes and practices. Their steadfast belief that they and their organization could improve the workplace and service to the client and society resulted in actions of heroic proportions, even when derided by professional peers. Social services providers to families will be inspired by these featured innovative approaches to making a difference, which include programs, individuals, and organizations: Through the Looking Glass--An organization which provides clinical and supportive services, training, and research involving families where an adult with a disability or medical condition takes responsibility for the care of well-functioning children. Serving Holocaust Survivors and Survivor Families--An intervention program that recognizes that older survivors of the Holocaust express diversity in personality, perception of reality, memory of trauma and loss, and control of stress. Craig Whitman's "Make a Difference Phenomenon"--His empowering story of being an adult developmental home provider for two mentally retarded individuals, who lived semi-independently in a house next door. McKnight Foundation's Families in Poverty (FEP) Initiative--Seven parenting/family stability programs which achieved success by high levels of exchange of information, a resonated agency mission, and behavior characterized by altruism, responsibility, egalitarianism, justice, and honesty. An Israeli Experience of Intervention with Families in Extreme Distress (FED)--A holistic family approach which utilizes a team of dedicated professionals who can deal with the intrafamily power dynamics and the normative demands of organizations and institutions outside the family. The Impact of New Medical Technologies in Human Reproduction--Explores how interventions which plan to make a positive difference in the lives of parents and children may have negative consequences on both. Stepcouples in Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)--An intervention program where therapists can reduce the high stress experienced in stepfamilies. A Pilgrimage by Kris Jeter--Indicates that human service professionals can utilize the pilgrimage process in treatment of emotionally and mentally ill individuals and gain a viable ally in rebuilding the family's structure. Efforts to keep up with modifications in values, ideologies, beliefs, institutional policies and practices requires modifications, even cosmetic ones, in service delivery. Social service providers who want to go beyond cosmetic changes and move to a new model of service buttressed by new values, ideologies, myths and practices, are empowered to do so from the experiences spotlighted in Exemplary Intervention Programs for Members and Their Families. Service providers who adopt new paradigms like those featured in this key resource, are able to become the social artists who will "make a difference."
Each member has their own unique place in a family. Ron Deal explores the myth of the "blended" family offering practical, realistic solutions for stepfamilies.
