Theory and Practice of Couples and Family Counseling 3ed

Theory and Practice of Couples and Family Counseling, Third Edition

To view the table of contents and selected opening book pages, click here

Additional Information:

"This is one of the very few textbooks that students will actually want to read. Dr. Bitter's style is so engaging and conversational that he effectively becomes your personal mentor guiding you through family counseling theories and practice. I can't wait to use this excellent book in my family course."

—Len Sperry, MD, PhD
Author of Couple and Family Assessment
ACA Fellow

"Dr. Bitter's presentation of each theory is clear, compelling, useful, and driven by a focus on application, wellness, and resiliency. He prompts personal reflection and models transparency about his own formative experiences, and his writing is warm and filled with hope for counselors who seek to create lasting and loving change for couples and families."

—Kirsten Murray, PhD, LPC
University of Montana

From the Foreword

"This book has been instrumental in helping me gain a deeper understanding of family counseling. Although other family therapy textbooks are available . . . it is my choice for a text for a family therapy course."

—Gerald Corey, EdD, ABPP
Professor Emeritus, Human Services and Counseling
California State University, Fullerton

This introduction to couples and family counseling lays the foundation for student skill-building by encouraging the development of personal, professional, and ethical standards of practice. This third edition has been expanded to include couples counseling and updated to reflect recent research and current practice. Primary text features include a genogram delineating the history of the field; a comprehensive discussion of 13 widely used theories with real-life examples of quality work for each approach; a single, bicultural couple/family system case for comparison across models; and strategies for the integration and application of the models into clinical practice with diverse clients. To help readers apply the concepts they have learned, Dr. Bitter provides numerous Illustrative examples, case studies, sample client dialogues, and exercises for personal and professional growth.