Basic Family Therapy 6th Edition

It was a pleasure and a privilege to read the sixth edition of this book. It is more difficult, however, to write an adequate introduction, as there are few enthusiastic phrases that have not already been invoked to describe the various editions of Philip Barker’s book that have appeared since the first in 1981.

I would like to be clear that this is an eminently readable book for those who are new to the discipline. Anyone who is not new to the discipline, however, and has seen a previous version will know this; readers and reviewers before me have commented on the skill of the author, who could write a book on the complex and theoretically diverse domain of family therapy that is at once scholarly yet thoroughly accessible. Readers of previous editions will find the update worthwhile and may be reassured to note a familiar ordering to many of the chapters.

Glenda M. MacQueen, MD, FRCPC, PhD. – Vice Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada

Basic Family Therapy 6th Edition
PHILIP BARKER and JEFF CHANG

It has long been clear that there is no one way to help families deal with the problems and stresses they face. Those working with families therefore need to have, as it were, many strings to their bows. The book features wide coverage of the various schools of family therapy. The essence of each of these is explained and the basic principles that apply to family therapy generally are presented as a coherent whole. This is an accessible, lucid introduction to an established field of practice.

The challenge facing the authors of texts that address the multiplicity and complexity of problems that may afflict families can be intimidating. Philip Barker has addressed this challenge head-on in each of the editions of this book. As one reviewer wrote he “…has the ability of making complex ideas seem simple”. Of course the therapist’s task is never simple, but in this volume its essentials are laid out as clearly as they can be. This task has been greatly facilitated by the contributions of the new co-author, Dr. Jeff Chang, himself a skilled and resourceful family therapist. This edition is a joint endeavour of the two authors who have worked closely together on it; they have thus been able to set out clearly the basic principles upon which family therapy rests.

Much has happened in the field of family therapy since the fifth edition of Basic Family Therapy 6th Edition was published in 2007.

New developments covered in this book include:

• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• The Gottman approach to couples therapy
• Mindfulness and psychotherapy
• The common factors approach to psychotherapy and to family therapy
• The increased emphasis on empirically supported treatments
• High-conflict post-divorce parenting

This book provides a clear, easily read and readily understandable introduction to family therapy. It will be of value to readers new to family therapy and to those in the early stages of training. No prior knowledge of family therapy has been assumed. Many readers will already be qualified as physicians, nurses, counsellors, psychologists, social workers, pastoral counsellors, and as members of related professions and will be aiming to develop competences in family therapy.