Family Therapy Multiplied

• Published in: PsycCritiques Vol. 56; no. 24; p. No Pagination Specified
• Main Author: Murdock, Nancy L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Psychological Association 15.06.2011
• Subjects: Couples; Couples Therapy; Family; Family Therapy; Group Psychotherapy; History; Psychotherapeutic Techniques
• ISSN: 1554-0138; 1554-0138
• DOI: 10.1037/a0023476

Reviews the book, Multi-family therapy: Concepts and techniques by Eia Asen and Michael Scholz (see record 2010-16789-000). This relatively short book provides an overview of multifamily therapy (MFT), including its historical roots in working with families in which one member is psychotic, descriptions of basic techniques, and a range of exercises and adaptations or concerns that arise with working with various client presentations or environments. Chapters 3–5 comprise about one third of the book and are packed with a variety of exercises that can be used in this work. A final chapter addresses pragmatic issues such as reimbursement for MFT and also includes a brief review of research that supports it. Asen and Scholz are practicing clinicians who are active practitioners of MFT in England and Germany, respectively. The book focuses on the Marlborough (England) model of MFT and will be of most interest to clinicians who already have a solid background in couples and family therapy or group psychotherapy and who are willing to go further in their explorations of this approach. It is clearly written and gives good descriptions of exercises as well as of overall therapist orientation that can be used in MFT and of the various forms in which the approach can be used. Practitioners who wish to implement MFT, however, might wish to seek out further resources or training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)