Lorna L. Hecker, PhD Joseph L. Wetchler, PhD Editors An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy Pre-publication // T oma Hecker and Joseph Wetchler REVIEWS, Li have edited a dynamic book COMMENTARIES, that brings together the expertise of the best thinkers in marriage and fam­ EVALUATIONS... ily therapy today. Each contributor writes a summary on his or her area of expertise. The editors bring these chap­ ters together by introducing the reader ti A n Introduction to Marriage and to the primary concepts of family ■Ta. Family Therapy raises the bar for therapy in the first two chapters. books in this genre. This book easily takes The authors write in a way that en­ the place of five or six other resources on gages beginning therapists and pro­ my bookshelf. The chapter glossaries alone vides helpful learning tools such as are worth the price of the book. If a glossaries, summaries, bold terms in better all-around text exists, I assure you, the text, and interesting case examples. I haven't come across it." 1 am confident that my students will find this book user-friendly and that we will use it as a required text in our master's-level marriage and family Howard G. Rosenthal, EdD therapy program." Program Coordinator and Professor of Human Services, St. Louis Community College Jo Ellen Patterson, PhD at Florissant Valley; Author, Professor, Encyclopedia of Counseling Marriage and Family Therapy, and The Human Services Dictionary University of San Diego, CA 4 More pre-publication REVIEWS, COMMENTARIES, EVALUATIONS ... //¥A7hat an amazing collection of ine the major models of MFT as well as VV knowledge Lorna Hecker, Joe special issues (domestic violence and Wetchler, and their colleagues have man­ legal issues, for instance) and allied aged to squeeze into An Introduction to fields such as sex therapy. This book Marriage and Family Therapy. This book will help introduce a new generation does exactly what an introductory text of students to the excitement and clini­ should do—introduce students to the cal promise of the field of marriage and sometimes daunting landscape of mar­ family therapy." riage and family therapy (MFT) with clear, concise chapters that cover all the Eric E. McCollum, PhD major issues. Set against the excellent Professor and Clinical Director, introductory chapters on the history of Marriage and Family Therapy our field and its theoretical founda­ Master's Program, tions, the contributing authors exam­ Virginia Tech, Falls Church An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy HAWORTH Marriage and the Family Terry S. Trepper, PhD Executive Editor Chinese Americans and Their Immigrant Parents: Conflict, Identity, and Values by May Paomay Tung Together Through Thick and Thin: A Multinational Picture of Long-Term Marriages by Shlomo A. Sharlin, Florence W. Kaslow, and Helga Hammerschmidt Developmental-Systemic Family Therapy with Adolescents by Ronald Jay Wemer- Wilson The Effect of Children on Parents, Second Edition by Anne-Marie Ambert Couples Therapy; Second Edition by Linda Berg-Cross Family Therapy and Mental Health: Innovations in Theory and Practice by Malcolm M. MacFariane How to Work with Sex Offenders: A Handbook for Criminal Justice, Human Sendee, and Mental Health Professionals by Rudy Flora Marital and Sexual Lifestyles in the United States: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Relationships in Social Context by Linda P. Rouse Psychotherapy with People in the Arts: Nuturing Creativity’ by Gerald Schoenewolf Critical Incidents in Marital and Family Therapy: A Practitioners Guide by David A. Baptiste Jr. Family Solutions for Substance Abuse: Clinical and Counseling Approaches by Eric E. McCollum and Terry S. Trepper Between Fathers and Sons: Critical Incident Narratives in the Development of Men’s Lives by Robert J. Pellegrini and Theodore R. Sarbin Women’s Stories of Divorce at Childbirth: When the Baby Rocks the Cradle by Hilary Hoge The Therapist’s Notebook for Families: Solution-Oriented Exercises for Working with Parents, Children, and Adolescents by Bob Bertolino and Gary Schultheis Treating Marital Stress: Support-Based Approaches by Robert P. Rugel An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy by -Lorna L. Hecker and Joseph L. Wetchler Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Its Effective Use in Agency Settings by Teri Pichot and Yvonne M. Dolan Creativity in Psychotherapy: Reaching New Heights with Individuals, Couples, and Families by David K. Carson and Kent W. Becker Understanding and Treating Schizophrenia: Contemporary Research, Theory, and Practice by Glenn D. Shean Becoming a Solution Detective: Identifying Your Clients ’ Strengths in Practical Brief Therapy by John Sharry, Brendan Madden, and Melissa Darmody Family Involvement in Treating Schizophrenia: Models, Essential Skills, and Process by James A. Marley Transgender Emergence: Therapeutic Guidelines for Working with Gender-Variant People and Their Families by Arlene Istar Lev An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy Lorna L. Hecker, PhD Joseph L. Wetchler, PhD Editors D Routledge Taylor & Francis Group LONDON AND NEW YORK First published in 2003 by Taylor & Francis Published 2013 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017, USA Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2003 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Cover design by Lora Wiggins Except as permitted by U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data An introduction to marriage and family therapy / Lorna Hecker, Joseph Wetchler, editors. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Family psychotherapy. 2. Marital psychotherapy. I. Hecker, Lorna L. II. Wetchler, Joseph L. RC488.5.I5875 2003 616.89’156—dc21 2002027291 ISBN 13: 978-0-789-00276-1 (hbk) ISBN 13: 978-0-789-00277-8 (pbk) CONTENTS About the Editors xi Contributors xiii Programs in Marriage and Family Therapy xxi Foreword xxxi Fred Piercy Preface xxxiii Acknowledgments xxxvii PART I: THEORIES IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY Chapter 1. The History of Marriage and Family Therapy 3 Joseph L. Wetchler The Early Social Work Movement 4 The Sexual Reform Movement 5 Marriage Counseling 7 The Family Therapy Movement 9 Summary 30 Suggested Readings 30 Glossary 31 Chapter 2. General Systems Theory, Cybernetics, and Family Therapy 39 Lorna L. Hecker Grace Ann Mims Shelly R. Boughner Reductionism versus Holism 40 Any System Is an Organized Whole; Elements Within the System Are Necessarily Interdependent 42 The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts 46 Patterns in a System Are Circular Rather Than Linear 47 Complex Systems Are Composed of Subsystems 52 Systems Have Homeostatic Mechanisms That Maintain Stability of Their Patterns 52 Evolution and Change Are Inherent in Open Systems 54 From Systems Theory to Family Therapy Theories 57 Glossary 58 Chapter 3. Structural Family Therapy 63 Joseph L. Wetchler Major Figures in Structural Family Therapy 63 Theoretical Concepts of Structural Family Therapy 64 Normal Family Development 74 Pathology and Behavior Disorders 76 Goals of Structural Family Therapy 78 Structural Family Therapy Techniques 79 Evaluating Structural Family Therapy 87 Summary 90 Selected Readings 91 Glossary 91 Chapter 4. Strategic Family Therapy 95 Karen H. Rosen Major Figures in Strategic Therapy 96 Theoretical Concepts 97 Problem Development, Pathology, and Normalcy 101 Goals of Therapy 103 Strategic Therapy Techniques 103 Relevant Research 115 Glossary 116 Chapter 5. Milan Systemic Therapy 123 Jerome Adams Main Proponents and Theoretical Concepts 124 Normal Family Development 129 Pathology and Behavior Disorders 129 Techniques 131 Relevant Research 139 Case Examples 140 Glossary 142 Chapter 6. The Collaborative Language-Based Models of Family Therapy: When Less Is More 149 Anne Rambo Introduction 149 History and Basic Assumptions 150 Constraints and Limitations 157 Normal Family Development 158 Pathology and Behavior Disorders 159 Techniques 160 Relevant Research 162 Case Example 164 Glossary 165 Chapter 7. Experiential Approaches to Family Therapy 173 Volker Thomas Proponents of the Model 174 Theoretical Assumptions and Concepts 176 Normal Family Development 181 Pathology and Behavior Disorders 182 Techniques 184 Relevant Research 189 Case Examples 190 Conclusion 197 Glossary 197 Chapter 8. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Couples and Families 203 Norman Epstein Theoretical Concepts 209 Proponents of the Model 221 Normal Family Development 222 Pathology and Behavior Disorders 224 Techniques 225 Research on Cognitive-Behavioral Couple and Family Therapy 235 Case Example 238 Glossary 241 Chapter 9. Transgenerational Family Therapies 255 Thorana S. Nelson Bowen Family Systems Therapy 255 Contextual Family Therapy 270