Leading experts reveal systemic and integrative approaches to family therapy When Marriages Fail: Systemic Family Therapy Interventions and Issues presents several leading experts in the field discussing the full spectrum of clinical interventions and family therapy for troubled and divorcing families. This comprehensive resource presents a broad overview of the literature that provides a foundation for the entire field, then narrows its focus to clearly review clinical assessment models and the special issues that may be factors in conflicted families. Therapists, psychologists, counselors, and social workers learn cutting-edge recommendations for policies protecting the well-being of children involved in divorce, plus practical, specific systemic treatment interventions that are illustrated with case studies. When Marriages Fail is separated into three logically organized sections. Part one provides a helpful overview of the field's evolving literature as it stands now and gives tools to therapists and their clients to explore their internal and dyadic processes in considering whether or not to divorce. The second part presents two systemic models that explore the dynamics of conflicted couples moving toward divorce and considers specific family circumstances that affect the entire divorce process, such as family violence, disclosure of gender orientation, and the unhappiness of the family's children. Part three discusses in detail specific and practical treatment interventions, considering factors involved when diverse families separate, divorce, and remarry. The text also provides a fitting tribute to William C. Nichols, a pioneer of marital and family therapy. Topics in When Marriages Fail include: the therapist's choices in helping couples process their own choices an ecosystemic look at the rights of children in divorce interventions for mourning, adulterous triangles, incongruent goals, cultural differences, or family of origin disclosing gay or lesbian orientation in marriage domestic violence issues children's trauma in the parental break-up family therapy interventions through three systemic stages of divorce remarriage of the first spouse in post-divorce families trauma of the betrayed spouse parent loss and serial relationships gay divorces and more! With Forewords by Douglas Sprenkle and Augustus Y. Napier as well as several international contributors who shed light on how this compelling subject is addressed outside of the United States, When Marriages Fail is an invaluable source of the latest knowledge and interventions for family therapists, counselors, social workers, and psychologists.

Understanding Stepfamilies takes a large step toward achieving integration of the many variables presented in understanding the stepfamily system. The book examines the dynamics and resources within these complex family systems. It helps clinicians and researchers understand the underlying structural patterns and dynamics of stepfamilies, promoting more successful, positive treatment outcomes. Chapters in Understanding Stepfamilies offer clinicians and researchers an international perspective, including contributions from the U.S., Canada, Israel, and The Netherlands. Readers learn of unique theoretical approaches to understanding stepfamily typologies and behaviors and specific clinical models for assessment and intervention, as well as more empirically-based findings regarding parent-child interactions.

The Economics of Divorce recognizes the critical role economic factors play during and after the divorce process. In the past, research into this issue has remained very general despite the enormous weight economics put on the entire divorce process. This book concentrates on elements specifically relevant to the economic variables of divorce. It focuses on the issues of work, employment, and financial support after divorce and how these issues affect the parents, children, and home environments of divorced families. The research presented not only provides insights into the economic aspects of divorce, but it is also invaluable to the entire study of divorce and remarriage as it explores the personal impact of these issues.Geared toward anyone working with divorced families, whether they are clinicians, educators, mediators, or attorneys, The Economics of Divorce is also of use to members of divorced or remarried families. The book contains demographics on the financial lives of custodial parents who remarry, custodial parents who work, and the financial support of college students from divorced families. It offers a close study of the realities of single parenting and reentering the work force, as well as the economic consequences of marital dissolution. The Economics of Divorce is unique in that it is the first publication of its kind to formally identify the economic results of divorcing and remarried families. It reshapes thinking on issues often taken for granted and redefines the ways in which financial issues are addressed. This book analyzes and advises readers on a number of personal and practical issues. Topics discussed include: the role of employment for women intergenerational financial support the economics of remarried families financial support for children 's college educationThe book was designed not only to address these issues but to also facilitate further research and discussion into the economic realities of divorced families. The Economics of Divorce is the first in its field to address the impact of economics on divorced families, but hopefully not the last.

This informative book clarifies the complex picture of how the experience of divorce in one generation may influence the next generation s approach to and preparedness for marriage. It identifies research and clinical issues regarding the effects of the parental divorce experience on young adults'patterns of dating, attachment, and mate selection. Divorce and the Next Generation focuses primarily on young adults and the patterns and attitudes regarding intimacy and attachment that they will carry into their own adult marriages.The book contains research studies which compare differing variables of developmental achievement, personal adjustment, and attitudes of children from divorced and nondivorced families. The implications of these findings for understanding the intergenerational effect from divorce in one generation to marriage in the next are crucial as they guide professionals in their work with young adults and divorcing families in clinical and educational settings. This enlightening volume provides a foundation and a stimulus for more research into these dynamics. Divorce and the Next Generation addresses topics such as: the effects of childhood family structure and perceptions of parental marital happiness on marital and parenting aspirations differences in intimate relationships between college students from divorced and intact families a literature review of short- and long-term effects of parental divorce on children the effects of conflict and family structure on attitudes toward marriage and divorce differences in marriage role expectations between college students of divorced and intact families effects of parental divorce on children in Erikson s identity stage indirect effects of parental divorce on self-concept via changes in family environment correlates of self-esteem among college-age offspring from divorced familiesDivorce and the Next Generation is full of useful information for beginning and advanced family therapists, marital counselors, family and psychological researchers, and other professionals interested in the effects divorce has on the families involved.

Gain new understanding of the role that the children of divorce play within their own family systems. Unlike most other literature on the subject, Children of Divorce studies--both empirically and clinically--the role of the children within the dysfunctional pattern of the dissolving family system. The unique and insightful perspectives in this volume equip practitioners and clinicians with the skills to help children cope with the pain and the adjustments they experience during and after a divorce. Experts in the marriage and family field explore the developmental, structural, and interactional issues for the benefit of all professionals seeking to more effectively understand and treat the children who are so adversely affected by divorce.

Here is an excellent introduction to and overview of the field of divorce mediation, a field that has grown rapidly and achieved a remarkable level of recognition among both the clinical and legal professions in the last decade. Divorce Mediation describes the process and some of the techniques of mediation, as well as mediation theory and training. Authorities from marriage and family therapy and law--all practicing mediators--address the ability of women to negotiate for themselves in mediation, describe several approaches to handling custody issues, and discuss several challenging issues facing the profession, including who should practice mediation, what are the boundaries and ethics of practice, and how does mediation relate to the traditional disciplines of law, psychology, marriage and family therapy, and social work. Summaries of actual case studies are especially helpful in illustrating how mediators accomplish their negotiations.

Leading experts reveal systemic and integrative approaches to family therapy When Marriages Fail: Systemic Family Therapy Interventions and Issues presents several leading experts in the field discussing the full spectrum of clinical interventions and family therapy for troubled and divorcing families. This comprehensive resource presents a broad overview of the literature that provides a foundation for the entire field, then narrows its focus to clearly review clinical assessment models and the special issues that may be factors in conflicted families. Therapists, psychologists, counselors, and social workers learn cutting-edge recommendations for policies protecting the well-being of children involved in divorce, plus practical, specific systemic treatment interventions that are illustrated with case studies. When Marriages Fail is separated into three logically organized sections. Part one provides a helpful overview of the field's evolving literature as it stands now and gives tools to therapists and their clients to explore their internal and dyadic processes in considering whether or not to divorce. The second part presents two systemic models that explore the dynamics of conflicted couples moving toward divorce and considers specific family circumstances that affect the entire divorce process, such as family violence, disclosure of gender orientation, and the unhappiness of the family's children. Part three discusses in detail specific and practical treatment interventions, considering factors involved when diverse families separate, divorce, and remarry. The text also provides a fitting tribute to William C. Nichols, a pioneer of marital and family therapy. Topics in When Marriages Fail include: the therapist's choices in helping couples process their own choices an ecosystemic look at the rights of children in divorce interventions for mourning, adulterous triangles, incongruent goals, cultural differences, or family of origin disclosing gay or lesbian orientation in marriage domestic violence issues children's trauma in the parental break-up family therapy interventions through three systemic stages of divorce remarriage of the first spouse in post-divorce families trauma of the betrayed spouse parent loss and serial relationships gay divorces and more! With Forewords by Douglas Sprenkle and Augustus Y. Napier as well as several international contributors who shed light on how this compelling subject is addressed outside of the United States, When Marriages Fail is an invaluable source of the latest knowledge and interventions for family therapists, counselors, social workers, and psychologists.

The Economics of Divorce recognizes the critical role economic factors play during and after the divorce process. In the past, research into this issue has remained very general despite the enormous weight economics put on the entire divorce process. This book concentrates on elements specifically relevant to the economic variables of divorce. It focuses on the issues of work, employment, and financial support after divorce and how these issues affect the parents, children, and home environments of divorced families. The research presented not only provides insights into the economic aspects of divorce, but it is also invaluable to the entire study of divorce and remarriage as it explores the personal impact of these issues.Geared toward anyone working with divorced families, whether they are clinicians, educators, mediators, or attorneys, The Economics of Divorce is also of use to members of divorced or remarried families. The book contains demographics on the financial lives of custodial parents who remarry, custodial parents who work, and the financial support of college students from divorced families. It offers a close study of the realities of single parenting and reentering the work force, as well as the economic consequences of marital dissolution. The Economics of Divorce is unique in that it is the first publication of its kind to formally identify the economic results of divorcing and remarried families. It reshapes thinking on issues often taken for granted and redefines the ways in which financial issues are addressed. This book analyzes and advises readers on a number of personal and practical issues. Topics discussed include: the role of employment for women intergenerational financial support the economics of remarried families financial support for children's college educationThe book was designed not only to address these issues but to also facilitate further research and discussion into the economic realities of divorced families. The Economics of Divorce is the first in its field to address the impact of economics on divorced families, but hopefully not the last.

Do stepfamilies experience greater levels of stressors than first families? Do they also experience more negative manifestations of stress? Find the latest research on these questions and more in this groundbreaking exploration of the complex factors and dynamics that make up stepfamilies. The Stepfamily Puzzle fills a gap in research that has not kept pace with the rapid growth of interest in this subject. It sets some of the pieces of the stepfamily puzzle into an intergenerational framework that includes the roles of grandparents, parent-child interactions, the struggles to define boundaries and achieve marital intimacy, and the underlying effects of financial support on stepfamily well-being. The Stepfamily Puzzle compares the effects of stress in stepfamilies and conditions in other families and reveals that the differences between the two types of families may not be as dramatic as long assumed. It also examines in-depth the emotional and financial stressors that impact stepfamilies and how this stress is exhibited in family relationships. Other groundbreaking research presented in this book includes: the closeness of relationships between children and grandparents in stepfamilies as compared to children and grandparents in first families effects of ongoing attachment to the former spouse on post-divorce relationships stepsibling subsystems a comparison of self-esteem and behavior problems of stepchildren and children in other family structures social support received by children in stepmother, stepfather, and intact families quality of stepfather-adolescent relationships effect of child support on stepfamily satisfactionTherapists, attorneys, and those interested in the numerous therapeutic and psychoeducational programs, self-help groups, and trade literature available on stepfamily relationships will find The Stepfamily Puzzle a valuable introduction to current research in this area. By presenting the complex variables that interact within stepfamilies, this book helps professionals understand the dynamics behind stepfamily relationships so they can provide effective support and care.

Clinicians and educators in the marriage and family field will gain valuable insight into the relationship dynamics that cause marital stress and the interactional factors that may result in divorce from this excellent book. The perceptive theoretical, empirical, and clinical chapters included in Marital Instability and Divorce Outcome examine why certain elements in relationships result in divorce while others do not and assist professionals in evaluating these elements. Specifically, this provocative volume enables professionals to examine how a marriage has weathered developmental periods of stability and instability, whether or not it has the necessary resources to survive, and, in the event a divorce occurs, what will be the most likely post-divorce adjustment for the marriage partners. This informative volume aids professionals in their work with marital relationships, by covering a wide range of topics involved in assessing marital instability and divorce outcomes. The relationship circumstances that can lead to divorce are examined in an investigation of personality types which are prone to divorce and a comparison of patterns of relationships which are stable and those which are likely to result in divorce. The conditions that exist after a divorce are explored in a discussion on how to predict post-divorce adjustment and physical well-being of the marriage partners after divorce. Educators teaching marriage and family courses at all levels from high school to college and clinicians who work with marital, family, and child cases will find this helpful volume to be an invaluable resource for evaluating factors influencing marital instability and divorce outcome.

Divorce and Remarriage brings together for the first time a unique collection of international studies focusing on many aspects of divorce particular to individual cultures. It looks at the implications of divorce on the personal level, as well as on the broader social level, in several different countries. On the personal level, it discusses smoking and alcohol use as stress factors in marriage and the effects of divorce on children, and, on the social level, it discusses a country's level of development and urbanization and its impact on marriage patterns and divorce rates. With divorce rates soaring, it is more important than ever to understand why people worldwide are failing to adopt sounder mate selection and marriage timing practices. To give readers a glimpse of the divorce experience from a global perspective, the authors of Divorce and Remarriage contrast divorce processes and issues in their countries with other experiences worldwide. The book explores consensual partnering and its relation to patterns of marriage and divorce, the differences between fathers without custody and mothers with custody, and fathers'and children's ethical and legal rights and the importance of their emotional and social relationships. It also discusses the importance of determining the connection between maternal attitudes and the development of children, as well as the relationship between parental separation/divorce and adolescent values. Other topics discussed at length in this important book are: the possible stress prevention role of social support in the post-separation period nontraditional stepfamily lifestyles and the well-being of adolescents in different cultures maternal stress and its impact on children widowhood and remarriage in different countries long-standing marital problems and their effect on each gender predictors of national marriage rates single parents'distress Divorce and Remarriage provides educators, researchers, mental health clinicians, and policymakers with information that can help alleviate the stress divorce causes for both individuals and society as a whole. The book's model for evaluating the readiness of a couple for separation or divorce, its recommendations for mediation, and innovative ideas for providing single parents with better social networking and services are sure to improve the way divorces, parental rights, and children's interests are handled around the world.

Clinicians and educators in the marriage and family field will gain valuable insight into the relationship dynamics that cause marital stress and the interactional factors that may result in divorce from this excellent book. The perceptive theoretical, empirical, and clinical chapters included in Marital Instability and Divorce Outcome examine why certain elements in relationships result in divorce while others do not and assist professionals in evaluating these elements. Specifically, this provocative volume enables professionals to examine how a marriage has weathered developmental periods of stability and instability, whether or not it has the necessary resources to survive, and, in the event a divorce occurs, what will be the most likely post-divorce adjustment for the marriage partners. This informative volume aids professionals in their work with marital relationships, by covering a wide range of topics involved in assessing marital instability and divorce outcomes. The relationship circumstances that can lead to divorce are examined in an investigation of personality types which are prone to divorce and a comparison of patterns of relationships which are stable and those which are likely to result in divorce. The conditions that exist after a divorce are explored in a discussion on how to predict post-divorce adjustment and physical well-being of the marriage partners after divorce. Educators teaching marriage and family courses at all levels from high school to college and clinicians who work with marital, family, and child cases will find this helpful volume to be an invaluable resource for evaluating factors influencing marital instability and divorce outcome.

Explore the meaning of annulment to Catholics and the Church!This valuable book examines the use of annulment by the Catholic Church to grant divorced Catholics the right to remarry within the Church. Divorce, Annulments, and the Catholic Church: Healing or Hurtful? is the first published study on annulments with wide-scale usage of questionnaires and interviews comparing Catholics who have sought an annulment with divorced Catholics who have not sought an annulment as well as married Catholics. In addition to delivering a quantitative analysis of the responses to various questions (religious, social, or psychological), it explains in lay terms what annulments are and what the acceptable grounds are for annulment and takes you step-by-step through the process of obtaining one. This insightful book also contains case studies of individuals who have been hurt by annulments and offers suggestions on how people who want to contest an annulment should proceed.This well-referenced book: explores the factors that lead to divorce provides a theoretical perspective as to why people either support or oppose annulments examines the religious influence on divorce and remarriage discusses the social integration-related aspects of annulment and divorce for Catholics presents recommendations for petitioners, respondents, clerics, and the members of tribunals who act as advocates, defenders, and judgesDivorce, Annulments, and the Catholic Church is an invaluable reference work for counselors dealing with the issue of divorce for Catholics, non-Catholics whose former spouses are seeking annulments, divorced Catholics who are contemplating an annulment, members of the clergy, and members of marriagetribunals and Family Life groups.

Can the children of broken homes learn to trust promises of commitment? The repercussions of divorce on children has been hotly debated for years. Divorce and the Next Generation: Perspectives for Young Adults in the New Millennium offers solid, peer-reviewed research into the aftermath of divorce. This valuable volume presents a scientific look at an issue that all too often is discussed in ideological terms. This sequel to the groundbreaking Divorce and the Next Generation (published in 1993) examines the emotional, relational, and even physiological effects of divorce. It offers helpful tables and figures, thorough literature reviews, and metanalysis as well as original research. The studies analyze such diverse factors as gender, age at divorce, and level of conflict in the marriage. The results may surprise you.This book takes a close look at the psychological interactions of divorce with many areas of children's emotional functioning, including: relationship with parents interpersonal relationships attitudes toward intimacy and marriage self-blame and self-esteem gender schematization Divorce and the Next Generation, brings together some of the leading researchers in the field. These detailed studies in the lingering aftereffects of divorce will be of interest to psychologists, family therapists, and policymakers.

Divorce and Remarriage brings together for the first time a unique collection of international studies focusing on many aspects of divorce particular to individual cultures. It looks at the implications of divorce on the personal level, as well as on the broader social level, in several different countries. On the personal level, it discusses smoking and alcohol use as stress factors in marriage and the effects of divorce on children, and, on the social level, it discusses a country s level of development and urbanization and its impact on marriage patterns and divorce rates. With divorce rates soaring, it is more important than ever to understand why people worldwide are failing to adopt sounder mate selection and marriage timing practices. To give readers a glimpse of the divorce experience from a global perspective, the authors of Divorce and Remarriage contrast divorce processes and issues in their countries with other experiences worldwide. The book explores consensual partnering and its relation to patterns of marriage and divorce, the differences between fathers without custody and mothers with custody, and fathers'and children s ethical and legal rights and the importance of their emotional and social relationships. It also discusses the importance of determining the connection between maternal attitudes and the development of children, as well as the relationship between parental separation/divorce and adolescent values. Other topics discussed at length in this important book are: the possible stress prevention role of social support in the post-separation period nontraditional stepfamily lifestyles and the well-being of adolescents in different cultures maternal stress and its impact on children widowhood and remarriage in different countries long-standing marital problems and their effect on each gender predictors of national marriage rates single parents'distress Divorce and Remarriage provides educators, researchers, mental health clinicians, and policymakers with information that can help alleviate the stress divorce causes for both individuals and society as a whole. The book s model for evaluating the readiness of a couple for separation or divorce, its recommendations for mediation, and innovative ideas for providing single parents with better social networking and services are sure to improve the way divorces, parental rights, and children s interests are handled around the world.

Solutions for negotiating one of life's most difficult events

Healthy Divorce is a very valuable book, containing practical answers to difficult questions.
--Dan Kiley, author of The Peter Pan Syndrome and The WAndy Dilemma

The authors have devoted their careers to counseling divorcing families. In this encouraging book, they outline the fourteen stages of divorces and offer families practical advice and solutions for negotiating one of life's most difficult events. With sensitivity and sensibility they explain how to recognize the different stages of the divorce; what to expect during each phase; and how to deal with the predictable patterns of the divorce process.

Healthy Divorce explores ways of confronting such tough issues as how to tell your children you're getting a divorce; how to plan a separation; and how to cope with your feelings of anger, grief, and abandonment. The authors offer practical advice on using mediation as an alternative to the adversarial court battle; co-parenting to maintain stability for the children after the divorce; and organizing and structuring a happy blAnded family.

For too long, divorce and remarriage literature has focused only on the outcome in the personal lives of the divorcees during and after divorce. But now, in Child Custody: Legal Decisions and Family Outcomes, you'll see that divorce is a chain reaction that begins in the courtrooms and branches out into the families of the world, changing the lives of children, parents, and grandparents alike. Child Custody is an incisive, up-to-date collection of studies that addresses both child custody decisions and the varied and often surprising outcomes for those children and their families. Divided into two main sections, one focusing on legislative guidelines and the other on family issues, this unique compilation of recent divorce and remarriage research gives you a rare view of the attitudes some judges have toward divorce. In addition, those people in both law and family research fields will have at their disposal the many aspects of the legal decision-making process and the legislative guidelines that currently hold sway over custody and post-divorce cases.Here are some of the topics you'll read about: the evolution of three types of residential custody arrangements--father, mother, and joint--followed over a two-year period legal reforms aimed at guaranteeing parental access to children how social research has shaped New Hampshire's child support policy divorced fathers and mothers in Greece the stigmas on lesbian mothers in custody cases how grandparent involvement shapes post-divorce families Meant as a catalyst for further research and study, this book begins to touch upon the intrinsic flaws in both legal and family systems that continue to exist. Too often, we think of divorce and child custody as merely legal decisions. In Child Custody, however, you'll find that what matters in court is also a family matter.

Do stepfamilies experience greater levels of stressors than first families? Do they also experience more negative manifestations of stress? Find the latest research on these questions and more in this groundbreaking exploration of the complex factors and dynamics that make up stepfamilies. The Stepfamily Puzzle fills a gap in research that has not kept pace with the rapid growth of interest in this subject. It sets some of the pieces of the stepfamily puzzle into an intergenerational framework that includes the roles of grandparents, parent-child interactions, the struggles to define boundaries and achieve marital intimacy, and the underlying effects of financial support on stepfamily well-being. The Stepfamily Puzzle compares the effects of stress in stepfamilies and conditions in other families and reveals that the differences between the two types of families may not be as dramatic as long assumed. It also examines in-depth the emotional and financial stressors that impact stepfamilies and how this stress is exhibited in family relationships. Other groundbreaking research presented in this book includes: the closeness of relationships between children and grandparents in stepfamilies as compared to children and grandparents in first families effects of ongoing attachment to the former spouse on post-divorce relationships stepsibling subsystems a comparison of self-esteem and behavior problems of stepchildren and children in other family structures social support received by children in stepmother, stepfather, and intact families quality of stepfather-adolescent relationships effect of child support on stepfamily satisfactionTherapists, attorneys, and those interested in the numerous therapeutic and psychoeducational programs, self-help groups, and trade literature available on stepfamily relationships will find The Stepfamily Puzzle a valuable introduction to current research in this area. By presenting the complex variables that interact within stepfamilies, this book helps professionals understand the dynamics behind stepfamily relationships so they can provide effective support and care.