“A classic and invaluable resource for family therapy educators, practitioners, and students from multiple disciplines. In this third edition, the well-respected authors offer up-to-date, developmentally informed, and biopsychosocially oriented guidance on the conduct of family therapy from beginning to end. The book provides a clear picture of what actually occurs in sessions with families and articulates strategies for addressing a diverse array of situations. All readers will benefit from reflecting on the thoughtfully presented information about health care reform, emerging trends in treatment, and the personal and professional journey of being a therapist.”

—Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, Department of Psychiatry, Emory University; past president, American Psychological Association


“This significant revision of the definitive basic family therapy text provides exactly the kind of nuts-and-bolts information that beginning family therapists need. The third edition systematically covers each of the crucial topics that need to be mastered, within an evidence-based practice framework. Written in a very interesting way and filled with clinical examples, this book should be a required text in every marriage and family therapy program, as well as in family classes in counseling, psychology, or social work. Among the many family therapy books out there, this is the single go-to text.”

—Jay L. Lebow, PhD, ABPP, LMFT, Senior Scholar and Clinical Professor, The Family Institute at Northwestern University


“Essential Skills in Family Therapy, Third Edition, is a clear and practical guide for all new psychotherapists who want to facilitate individual and relational growth and problem solving in clients, while at the same time tending to their own self-awareness and self-care. Emphasizing the integration of mind and body, the book equips students and clinicians with important systemic skills for participating in evolving health care systems.”

—Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, Dr. Laurie Sands Distinguished Professor of Families and Health, and Director, Institute for the Family, University of Rochester Medical Center