The concepts of Murray Bowen, one of the founders of family therapy and the originator of family systems theory, are brought together here in an integrative fashion. Michael Kerr (who worked with Bowen for many years) and Bowen propose that the enormously complex task of evaluating a clinical family can be orderly when it is grounded in family systems theory. Using family diagrams and case studies, the book is devoted to an elegant explication of Bowen theory, which analyzes multigenerational family relationships and conceptualizes the family as an emotional unit or as a network of interlocking relationships, not only among the family members, but also among biological, psychological, and sociological processes. Bowen’s persistent inquiry and devotion to family observation, in spite of obstacles and frustrations, have resulted in a theory that has radically changed our ways of looking at all behavior.

New in paperback. This book presents a well-regarded, evidence-based, step-by-step child custody assessment protocol for mental health professionals.

Provides a child assessment protocol for both families and evaluators to minimize malpractice or ethical infractions.

This unique volume and the accompanying forms provide you with ten forensic family evaluation tools ready for immediate use. These tools have been developed by Dr. Benjamin D. Garber over the course of more than twenty years and tempered through the process of treating and evaluating hundreds of high conflict families. Ten Child-Centered Forensic Family Evaluation Tools provides the family law professional with critical means of navigating through the complex and contradictory history and reports that commonly arise in the context of custody-related litigation. These are the tools that have been missing to date, necessary if one hopes to map out the conflicted family's strengths and weaknesses, needs and wishes in an organized, systematic and reliable manner. More than just data collection, Ten Child-Centered Forensic Family Evaluation Tools anchors parent, child and third-party report in the hard data underlying psychology and family law. This volume not only makes Dr. Garber's tools available for immediate use, it provides the reader with up-to-date references to critical areas of inquiry. Responses can thus be interpreted not only by comparison among co-parents, but also by comparison between respondents and the extant literature. Use of these Ten Child-Centered Forensic Family Evaluation Tools secures evaluations in science, buttresses interpretations in empirical data, and anchors the evaluator's testimony in the contemporary literature all to the benefit of none so much as the child. Ten Child-Centered Forensic Family Evaluation Tools is structured into six broad categories. Each begins with an introduction to the general topic, includes an annotated discussion of the instrument(s) being introduced and a select list of references. The tools themselves are laid out page-by-page with critical items highlight and cross-referenced. The accompanying CD-ROM includes all ten tools ready to print and to become the foundation of the professionals' next forensic family evaluation.

Systemic theory offers a valuable framework for integrating the diverse ideas found throughout the mental health arena in both theory and clinical practice. With this accessible book, the authors take you on an enjoyable and coherent journey through systemic theory. They then review the body of research into family therapy and conclude with a critical review of major recent developments in theory and application. At the end of several chapters are reflexive notes containing exercises that relate to the ideas and processes found within the chapter to further develop the reader's understanding. The conclusion draws together the ideas found throughout the book, with particular emphasis on the interlocking triangle of formulation, intervention and evaluation and how this will impact on systemic practice in the future. While this book will be an invaluable introduction to family systems theory and practice for clinical psychology training courses, plugging a gap that the authors have identified as one of their motives for writing it, its remit runs much wider. It will prove an essential companion for any professional working in the public services, whether systemically trained or not.