All couples walk to the altar dreaming of happily-ever-after, but many forces in our society work against healthy lifelong commitment. Renowned family therapist William J. Doherty reveals how cracks can develop in even a rock-solid marriage, and what steps you can take to keep your love strong. Learn ways to break free of common traps like confusing desires with needs, comparing your spouse to your fantasies of other relationships, or becoming overtime parents instead of full-time partners. You'll get suggestions for creating relationship rituals--from mundane to celebratory, sexy to silly--that build closeness and connection every day. The updated second edition incorporates Dr. Doherty's ongoing experience counseling couples, plus the latest information on marriage and health, how divorce affects kids, the impact of new technologies on family life, and more. Winner--Best Self-Help Book, ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards

Origins We call this book on theoretical orientations and methodological strategies in family studies a sourcebook because it details the social and personal roots (i.e., sources) from which these orientations and strategies flow. Thus, an appropriate way to preface this book is to talk first of its roots, its beginnings. In the mid 1980s there emerged in some quarters the sense that it was time for family studies to take stock of itself. A goal was thus set to write a book that, like Janus, would face both backward and forward a book that would give readers both a perspec tive on the past and a map for the future. There were precedents for such a project: The Handbook of Marriage and the Family edited by Harold Christensen and published in 1964; the two Contemporary Theories about theFamily volumes edited by Wesley Burr, Reuben Hill, F. Ivan Nye, and Ira Reiss, published in 1979; and the Handbook of Marriage and the Family edited by Marvin Sussman and Suzanne Steinmetz, then in production.

Origins We call this book on theoretical orientations and methodological strategies in family studies a sourcebook because it details the social and personal roots (i.e., sources) from which these orientations and strategies flow. Thus, an appropriate way to preface this book is to talk first of its roots, its beginnings. In the mid 1980s there emerged in some quarters the sense that it was time for family studies to take stock of itself. A goal was thus set to write a book that, like Janus, would face both backward and forward a book that would give readers both a perspec tive on the past and a map for the future. There were precedents for such a project: The Handbook of Marriage and the Family edited by Harold Christensen and published in 1964; the two Contemporary Theories about theFamily volumes edited by Wesley Burr, Reuben Hill, F. Ivan Nye, and Ira Reiss, published in 1979; and the Handbook of Marriage and the Family edited by Marvin Sussman and Suzanne Steinmetz, then in production.

Clients often seek therapists’ input for dealing with ethical dilemmas in their lives, but there is little guidance for therapists in how to do this. This book shows therapists how to serve as ethical consultants who help clients balance their personal needs with their sense of responsibility to others. Dr. Bill Doherty blends decades of clinical experience with personal and philosophical insights to frame the skills and knowledge therapists need to act as ethical guides while respecting client autonomy. He calls for a shift from psychotherapy’s individualistic focus towards a more relational one that includes ethical connections to others.     Doherty presents the LEAP‑C model, a framework for ethical consulting that utilizes the traditional therapeutic skills of listening, exploring, affirming, and offering perspective, while also challenging clients to recognize ethical issues they don't perceive. Using detailed case examples, Doherty provides a roadmap for addressing common client dilemmas, such as keeping and ending commitments, having affairs, lying and deceiving, and causing psychological or physical harm to others. He also provides guidelines for citizen therapists to lend their expertise to help solve larger societal concerns, such as political polarization and police–community relations.

Why do professional wedding planners, engaged couples, parents, clergy, and therapists rave about this book? Take Back Your Wedding combines wisdom from the world of family therapy with a realistic picture of how couples and families behave under the stress of planning a wedding. Weddings bring out the best and worst in all of us because they combine romance, money, loyalties, jealousies, new in-law relations, and endless practical decisions-all played out in front of your whole community of family and friends No one get through this without times of frustration, confusion, and sometimes anger. This book is an essential guide to handing the stress, avoiding the common pitfalls, having a great wedding, and launching a successful marriage. The website from the book is www.TheFirstDance.com

In Family Therapy William J. Doherty and Susan H. McDaniel discuss the history, theory, and practice of this systems-oriented therapy. There are many different types of family therapy, but at the heart of each is systems theory, a model that arose from the fields of biology, physics, chemistry, and cybernetics. The main clinical precept of family systems theory is that individual problems must be understood within their larger family and environmental systems, which often provide the key to successful treatment. Family therapy provides a way of thinking in systemic, relational terms, and a set of strategies for intervening with individuals, couples, families, and other systems. Whether the client is a large family or a single person, family therapy focuses on changing relational interactions. In addition to this relationship focus, family therapy considers biological, environmental, and cultural influences on the client. Ultimately, this systemic way of thinking - essentially a model for understanding the complex relations that make up the world - can help therapists of all orientations in their practice.

Communitarian thought has had a profound influence on contemporary American policy. Leaders as diverse as Al Gore and Jack Kemp have embraced it as the most powerful way of restoring America's communities and redeeming its political institutions. This comprehensive collection contains essays from the nation's most respected thinkers, including Mary Ann Glendon, Senator Bill Bradley, Jean Bethke Elshtain, and many others.

Does a healthy family environment reduce the risk of illness to family members? Is there a relationship between common family patterns related to health and interactions between families and the health care system? Organized around a unique Family, Health and Illness Cycle developed by the authors, this timely volume discusses such salient issues as family experiences with health promotion and risk reduction, vulnerability and illness onset, illness appraisal, acute response, and adaptation to illness. Separate chapters consider each of these areas in terms of exemplar issues of current interest and con -cern, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and bereavement. In addition, issues related to health care intervention and policy are addressed and important methodological issues in family and health are raised. Written in nontechnical language and including discussion questions and recommended readings, Families and Health is an ideal text for family studies and family psychology courses. "This book represents an important contribution to the task of disseminating the model. Addressed to a multidisciplinary audience of health providers, the text is an excellent introduction. It is also a well-referenced and interesting survey of applied clinical behavioral sciences." --The Literature of Medicine "This book, a gem in both value and clarity, makes an important contribution to relating health and illness to family structure and function. . . . An intensely referenced, authoritative basic science textbook that describes why caring for the family for the benefit of the patient is not only desirable but essential for excellent health care. . . . A well-written, readable, and authoritative approach to relationships between families, health, and illness." --The Journal of Family Practice "In 159 pages of easy-to-read and well-referenced text, the seven chapters cover the stages of the 'family health and illness cycle' initially developed by one of the author's, William J. Doherty. . . . This book is directed to undergraduate students as part of a 'series of textbooks designed to examine topics relevant to a broad view of family studies." --American Family Physician "This is a very useful text for acquainting newcomers to the health care field with the principles and complexities of that system and with the need for health care providers to attend to the transactional and reciprocal nature of their work with families. Incidentally, it would be informative as well to those already working in the field in multidisciplinary settings. The authors have done a remarkable job of placing the material in a historical context, tracing the evolution and influence of various theories on current modes of health care, summarizing the research literature and presenting it in a succinct manner, and elucidating the practical applications. The structure of the book is well organized and logical; the content is informative and highly relevant to the current health care scene." --Contemporary Psychology "Any teacher who is involved in the training of social workers, doctors, nurses, or any other professional involved in the delivery of health services will be pleased to discover this small book, which is a superb guide through the recent literature on the interface of family, health, and illness." --Family Systems Medicine "The excellent summary of family-oriented literature makes this book valuable to medical students and family practice residents. Experienced family physicians wishing to obtain a brief review of the current literature related to families and health may find this book useful as well." --Physician's Bookshelf "An excellent reference source for students and teachers. . . . The authors remain focused on their topic and illustrate the concept developed in each of the chapters." --Canadian Family Physician