Marriage and Family Therapy: A Practice-Oriented Approach by Linda Metcalf is a comprehensive guide that explores various models of marriage and family therapy, providing practical insights for both students and practitioners. The book delves into the defining characteristics of 14 contemporary therapeutic models, including their history, views of change, perspectives on family dynamics, and the role of the therapist.
Model Overviews: Each chapter offers a detailed examination of a specific therapy model, discussing its theoretical assumptions, techniques, and methods for assessing family dynamics, setting goals, facilitating change, and determining when to terminate therapy.
Interviews with Master Therapists: Extensive interviews with master therapists such as Albert Ellis, Insoo Kim Berg, Sue Johnson, Susan McDaniel, and Derald Wing Sue provide insights into their approaches to therapy, including their ideas on change, goal setting, and therapeutic techniques.