Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Finding high-quality textbooks for graduate clinical application courses is often a challenge. The Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy effectively meets that challenge by providing a well-written, comprehensive, and thorough discussion of major theoretical approaches to conducting effective psychotherapy with couples. While my emphasis for students is on being well grounded in theory, I appreciate the clinical case examples throughout the book that further explicate the theories discussed. I have used the examples as a springboard for developing other experiential learning exercises in class. I especially appreciate the chapter addressing multicultural issues in work with couples, as the authors address concerns that are less commonly brought to light. I highly recommend this book to colleagues teaching courses in marital or couple therapy."--Joan I. Rosenberg, PhD, clinical psychology doctoral program, Phillips Graduate Institute, Encino, California
"Gurman has been the leading authority on couple therapy as the field has matured over the past three decades. The fourth edition of this classic handbook presents the wide array of approaches that have been developed, their broad application with diverse relationship problems, and the research that supports ongoing advances. This text is indispensable for clinical training and practice."--Froma Walsh, PhD, Mose and Sylvia Firestone Professor Emerita, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, and Codirector, Chicago Center for Family Health
"Carrying on the great tradition of the earlier editions of this book, Gurman has once again put together the definitive handbook of couple therapy. Covering all of the major approaches as well as the major client and problem populations, this volume provides in-depth snapshots written by the key leaders in the field. Ideal as a text for graduate courses, it also offers senior clinicians and researchers a guide to what’s new. In addition to updated versions of the major therapy approaches, this volume adds new chapters on a comparative framework for studying couple therapies, legal and ethical issues, and the treatment of severe disorders, with special emphasis on borderline personality disorder. This is an indispensable book that should be part of the library of every couple therapist and couple therapy researcher."--William M. Pinsof, PhD, ABPP, President, The Family Institute at Northwestern University; Director, Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies, Northwestern University
"This newly updated classic text remains one of the best introductions to the various schools of couple therapy and features a host of applications for specific problems."--Michael P. Nichols, PhD, Department of Psychology, College of William and Mary
Review
"This is one of the finest clinical books I have read. It should be in the library of clinicians who do marriage and family work and required reading for all graduate students who are focusing on couples work. It thoroughly covers couple therapy, integrating theory with practice. Readers can learn much just by reading the case illustrations. Graduate students who are studying family and couples therapy will gain important knowledge not only by seeing how a theoretical paradigm is applied, but also by observing how it compares to the other approaches. Chapters in this edition have been rewritten and new case examples added. New topics such as work with borderline personality disorder in couple therapy and legal and ethical issues are covered. Thus, it does justify replacing the third edition....4 stars!"--Doody's Review Service
Review
"Finding high-quality textbooks for graduate clinical application courses is often a challenge. The
Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy effectively meets that challenge by providing a well-written, comprehensive, and thorough discussion of major theoretical approaches to conducting effective psychotherapy with couples. While my emphasis for students is on being well grounded in theory, I appreciate the clinical case examples throughout the book that further explicate the theories discussed. I have used the examples as a springboard for developing other experiential learning exercises in class. I especially appreciate the chapter addressing multicultural issues in work with couples, as the authors address concerns that are less commonly brought to light. I highly recommend this book to colleagues teaching courses in marital or couple therapy."--Joan I. Rosenberg, PhD, clinical psychology doctoral program, Phillips Graduate Institute, Encino, California
"Gurman has been the leading authority on couple therapy as the field has matured over the past three decades. The fourth edition of this classic handbook presents the wide array of approaches that have been developed, their broad application with diverse relationship problems, and the research that supports ongoing advances. This text is indispensable for clinical training and practice."--Froma Walsh, PhD, Mose and Sylvia Firestone Professor Emerita, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, and Codirector, Chicago Center for Family Health
"Carrying on the great tradition of the earlier editions of this book, Gurman has once again put together the definitive handbook of couple therapy. Covering all of the major approaches as well as the major client and problem populations, this volume provides in-depth snapshots written by the key leaders in the field. Ideal as a text for graduate courses, it also offers senior clinicians and researchers a guide to whats new. In addition to updated versions of the major therapy approaches, this volume adds new chapters on a comparative framework for studying couple therapies, legal and ethical issues, and the treatment of severe disorders, with special emphasis on borderline personality disorder. This is an indispensable book that should be part of the library of every couple therapist and couple therapy researcher."--William M. Pinsof, PhD, ABPP, President, The Family Institute at Northwestern University; Director, Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies, Northwestern University
"This newly updated classic text remains one of the best introductions to the various schools of couple therapy and features a host of applications for specific problems."--Michael P. Nichols, PhD, Department of Psychology, College of William and Mary
"Presents an extensive overview of the theory and applied clinical practice of couple therapy. Based upon knowledgeable contributors in the field, this edited work by Alan S. Gurman provides a sound revised resource for the professional reader. As a leading authority on couple therapy. Gurman coordinates a text within his belief that 'the field of couple therapy will benefit by fostering more evidence-based practice, without prematurely limiting the kinds of evidence that may help to inform responsible practice.'"--Sexual Disabilities
"This is one of the finest clinical books I have read. It should be in the library of clinicians who do marriage and family work and required reading for all graduate students who are focusing on couples work. It thoroughly covers couple therapy, integrating theory with practice. Readers can learn much just by reading the case illustrations. Graduate students who are studying family and couples therapy will gain important knowledge not only by seeing how a theoretical paradigm is applied, but also by observing how it compares to the other approaches. Chapters in this edition have been rewritten and new case examples added. New topics such as work with borderline personality disorder in couple therapy and legal and ethical issues are covered. Thus, it does justify replacing the third edition....4 stars!"--Doody's Review Service
Review
"Comprehensive, up-to-date, and clearly the definitive reference book in this field. His introduction, a history of couple therapy, is a pleasure to read and is sprinkled with witty and wise aphorisms....The practicing psychiatrist can garner many practical points....Although it is a reference book in which one can find specific information, one can also browse through such topics as empathy, communication, intimacy, and curative factors....Psychiatrists of any persuasion will find an abundance of valuable pearls in this reference."--Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Review
"It is hard to imagine improving a classic, but Alan S. Gurman has managed to do just that. In his fourth edition of the Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy, Gurman has contributed to and compiled a comprehensive and superbly written collection of chapters in the field of couple therapy. The book is exactly what therapists interested in couple therapy should read as they embark on a career in the field....This text is ideally suited as an introduction to couple therapy for students....This text is a must for any couples therapist's library."--Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
Review
"Presents an extensive overview of the theory and applied clinical practice of couple therapy. Based upon knowledgeable contributors in the field, this edited work by Alan S. Gurman provides a sound revised resource for the professional reader. As a leading authority on couple therapy. Gurman coordinates a text within his belief that the field of couple therapy will benefit by fostering more evidence-based practice, without prematurely limiting the kinds of evidence that may help to inform responsible practice."--Sexual Disabilities
Review
"Reading the fifth edition of this classic work left me struck by the astonishing progress in the field. Clinical and scientific advances abound in these pages. The chapter authors are the best clinicians and researchers we have. Their original voices come through within a common organizational frame that allows easy comparison across models and topics. The addition of chapters on PTSD, interpersonal neurobiology, and intercultural relationships is particularly noteworthy. This book is straightforward enough for students and beginners and sophisticated enough for senior therapists who want an update on one of the most exciting areas in contemporary psychotherapy."--William J. Doherty, PhD, Couple and Family Therapy Program, University of Minnesota
"The most comprehensive, well-respected source on how to do therapy with couples. A benefit of the fifth edition is the historical view that the contributors provide; many have been leaders in couple therapy for over 20 years. The book also incorporates the latest developments, such as interpersonal neurobiology. At the University of San Diego, we have used this book for many years as our core text for the Couple Therapy class, and we will enthusiastically incorporate the fifth edition into our curriculum."--Jo Ellen Patterson, PhD, Marital and Family Therapy Program, University of San Diego
Synopsis
Lauded as "the definitive handbook of couple therapy," this authoritative work provides a definitive overview of the major models of couple therapy and their clinical applications. In the newly revised and expanded fourth edition, leaders in the field describe the history, theoretical and empirical underpinnings, and methods of each approach. The treatment of specific problems and populations is then addressed, complete with detailed illustrations of therapeutic strategies and techniques. Designed for optimal utility as a practical reference and text, the fourth edition is revised throughout with clinical, conceptual, and research advances. Important new topics include treating borderline personality disorder in couple therapy, working with remarried partners, culturally competent practice with African American clients, and legal and ethical issues.
Synopsis
This authoritative handbook provides a definitive overview of the theory and practice of couple therapy. Noted contributors--many of whom developed the approaches they describe--combine clear conceptual exposition with thorough descriptions of therapeutic techniques. In addition to presenting major couple therapy models in step-by-step detail, the book describes effective applications for particular populations and problems. Chapters adhere closely to a uniform structure to facilitate study and comparison, enhancing the book's utility as a reference and text.
See also Clinical Casebook of Couple Therapy, also edited by Alan S. Gurman, which presents in-depth illustrations of treatment.
Synopsis
Regarded as the authoritative reference and text, this handbook presents the most effective, widely studied approaches to couple therapy. The distinguished coeditors bring together other leading experts, most of whom developed the approaches they describe. Adhering closely to a uniform structure to facilitate study and comparison, chapters cover the history, theoretical and empirical underpinnings, and techniques of each model. The volume also describes cutting-edge applications for particular relationship contexts (such as blended families, LGBT couples, and separated couples) and clinical problems (such as partner aggression, psychological disorders, and medical issues).
New to This Edition
*Chapters on interpersonal neurobiology and intercultural relationships.
*Chapters on couple therapy for PTSD, functional analytic couple therapy, and the integrative problem-centered metaframeworks approach.
*Many new authors.*Extensively revised with the latest theory and research.
See also Clinical Casebook of Couple Therapy, edited by Alan S. Gurman, which presents in-depth illustrations of treatment.
About the Author
Alan S. Gurman, PhD, until his death in 2013, was Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. A pioneer in the development of integrative approaches to couple therapy, he edited and wrote many influential books; was a past two-term editor of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy; and was former President of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Dr. Gurman received numerous awards for his contributions to couple and family therapy, including the Distinguished Achievement in Family Therapy Research Award from the American Family Therapy Academy and the Distinguished Contribution to Family Psychology Award from the American Psychological Association. He also received the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Teaching and Training from the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers.
Table of Contents
1. A Framework for the Comparative Study of Couple Therapy: History, Models, and Applications, Alan S. Gurman
I. Models of Couple Therapy
Behavioral Approaches
2. Cognitive-Behavioral Couple Therapy, Donald H. Baucom, Norman B. Epstein, Jaslean J. LaTaillade, and Jennifer S. Kirby
3. Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy, Sona Dimidjian, Christopher R. Martell, and Andrew Christensen
Humanistic–Existential Approaches
4. Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, Susan M. Johnson
5. Gottman Method Couple Therapy, John Mordechai Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman
Psychodynamic and Transgenerational Approaches
6. Object Relations Couple Therapy, Jill Savege Scharff and David E. Scharff
7. Transgenerational Couple Therapy, Laura Roberto-Forman
Social Constructionist Approaches
8. Narrative Couple Therapy, Jill Freedman and Gene Combs
9. Solution-Focused Couple Therapy, Michael F. Hoyt
Systemic Approaches
10. Brief Strategic Couple Therapy, Varda Shoham, Michael J. Rohrbaugh, and Audrey A. Cleary
11. Structural Couple Therapy, George M. Simon
Integrative Approaches
12. Affective–Reconstructive Couple Therapy: A Pluralistic, Developmental Approach, Douglas K. Snyder and Alexandra E. Mitchell
13. Integrative Couple Therapy: A Depth-Behavioral Approach, Alan S. Gurman
II. Applications of Couple Therapy: Special Populations, Problems, and Issues
Rupture and Repair of Relational Bonds: Affairs, Divorce, Violence, and Remarriage
14. Couple Therapy and the Treatment of Affairs, Kristina Coop Gordon, Donald H. Baucom, Douglas K. Snyder, and Lee J. Dixon
15. Separation and Divorce Issues in Couple Therapy, Jay Lebow
16. Couple Therapy and Physical Aggression, K. Daniel O’Leary
17. Couple Therapy with Remarried Partners, James H. Bray
Couple Therapy and the Treatment of Psychiatric and Medical Disorders
18. Couple Therapy for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Gary R. Birchler, William Fals-Stewart, and Timothy J. O’Farrell
19. Couple Therapy and the Treatment of Depression, Steven R. H. Beach, Jessica A. Dreifuss, Kameron Franklin, Charles Kamen, and Barbara Gabriel
20. Couple Therapy and the Treatment of Borderline Personality and Related Disorders, Alan E. Fruzzetti and Barrett Fantozzi
21. Couple Therapy and the Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction, Barry W. McCarthy and Maria Thestrup
22. Couple Therapy and Medical Issues: Working with Couples Facing Illness, Nancy Breen Ruddy and Susan H. McDaniel
Couple Therapy in Broader Context
23. Gender Issues in the Practice of Couple Therapy, Carmen Knudson-Martin
24. Gay and Lesbian Couples in Therapy: Minority Stress, Relational Ambiguity, and Families of Choice, Robert-Jay Green and Valory Mitchell
25. African American Couples in Therapy, Nancy Boyd-Franklin, Shalonda Kelly, and Jennifer Durham
26. Legal and Ethical Issues in Couple Therapy, Michael C. Gottlieb, Jon Lasser, and Georganna L. Simpson