Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Couples and Families: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians

by Frank M. Dattilio PhD, ABPP, Aaron T. Beck MD

Overview

From a leading expert in cognitive-behavioral therapy and couple and family therapy, this comprehensive guide combines research and clinical wisdom. The author shows how therapeutic techniques originally designed for individuals have been successfully adapted for couples and families struggling with a wide range of relationship problems and stressful life transitions. Vivid clinical examples illustrate the process of conducting thorough assessments, implementing carefully planned cognitive and behavioral interventions, and overcoming roadblocks. Used as a practitioner resource and text worldwide, the book highlights ways to enhance treatment by drawing on current knowledge about relationship dynamics, attachment, and neurobiology. Cultural diversity issues are woven throughout.

See also Dattilio's edited volume, Case Studies in Couple and Family Therapy, which features case presentations from distinguished practitioners plus commentary from Dattilio on how to integrate systemic and cognitive perspectives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781462514168
Publisher:	Guilford Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	10/23/2013
Pages:	282
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Frank M. Dattilio, PhD, ABPP, holds faculty positions with the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is also in the private practice of clinical and forensic psychology and marital and family therapy in Allentown, Pennsylvania. With more than 280 professional publications in the areas of couple and family problems, anxiety and behavioral disorders, and forensic and clinical psychology, Dr. Dattilio has presented extensively on CBT throughout the world. His works have been translated into more than 30 languages and are used in over 80 countries. He serves on the editorial boards of a number of professional journals, including the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy and Contemporary Family Therapy. Dr. Dattilio is a recipient of numerous awards for outstanding achievement in the fields of psychology and psychotherapy, including, most recently, the MFT of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the Outstanding Contribution to Marriage and Family Therapy Award from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
 

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Mechanics of Change with Couples and Families
3. The Schema Component in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
4. The Role of Neurobiological Processes
5. Methods of Clinical Assessment
6. Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques
7. Special Topics
8. Enhancements to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
9. Case Examples
10. Epilogue
Appendix A. Questionnaires and Inventories for Couples and Families
Appendix B. Dysfunctional Thought Record

Interviews

Clinicians who treat couples and families, including couple and family therapists and counselors, clinical psychologists, social workers, pastoral counselors, and psychiatrists; students in these fields. Serves as a text in such courses as Cognitive-Behavioral Couple Therapy, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Social Work Practice with Families and Couples.

Editorial Reviews

"Dattilio provides an excellent description of the development of cognitive-behavioral couple and family therapy and its underlying principles and constructs. He offers a thought-provoking and stimulating discussion of how attachment theory and schema therapy can inform and improve couple and family treatments. Of particular value are the book's clinically rich, vivid case examples. Seasoned clinicians and students alike will find Dattilio’s descriptions of his interactions with couples and families to be pragmatic, flexible, integrative, and highly engaging. He is an excellent role model for how to be a sensitive and effective clinician with a variety of clients; I know I will rely on this book a great deal to train new therapists."—Kristina Coop Gordon, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee

"Sweeping in scope, and backed by a thorough review of the literature, this book is an outstanding contribution to the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) literature. Dattilio covers a great deal of ground clearly and brings the reader up to date on the latest developments in the field. The book's integration of key techniques from systemic and family therapy into a CBT model makes it a core text for every therapist’s library."—Antony Kidman, PhD, Director, Health Psychology Unit, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Australia

"This book is a 'must read' for therapists and researchers in the family field. As a comprehensive guide to cognitive-behavioral therapy with families, it will make a great textbook to be enjoyed by many generations of students. The book is a wonderful integration of research findings and case studies; the latter are especially delightful to read, and will serve as a model for students as well as for experienced therapists."—Cloe Madanes, LIC, HDL, President, The Madanes Institute, La Jolla, California
 
"Dattilio has retained the core principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) while offering an expanded perspective on schemas. He also integrates information on neurobiology, attachment, general systems theory, mindfulness, and emotion regulation. In addition to providing a conceptual framework for therapy, the book offers specific skills and techniques such as the 'downward arrow technique' and 'behavioral rehearsal.' This is the most comprehensive guide to CBT for couples and families that I’ve seen. I especially appreciate Dattilio's thoughtful examination of the role of emotions in couple interactions. This would be an excellent textbook for a theories class or a clinical practicum."—JoEllen Patterson, PhD, LMFT, Department of Counseling and Marital and Family Therapy, University of San Diego; Divisions of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Global Health, University of California, San Diego

From the Publisher

This comprehensive guide combines research and clinical wisdom….Vivid clinical examples illustrate the process of conducting thorough assessments, implementing carefully planned cognitive and behavioral interventions, and overcoming roadblocks.”

Counseling Today

"This book achieves the difficult task of being clinically engaging and warm yet empirically rigorous. As a clinician, I appreciate the numerous clinical examples and careful balance between theory and technique. It is a fun book to read, and is full of clinical guidance. As a researcher, I appreciate the breadth of research supporting his assertions. As a professor, I plan on using this as a core text in both my couple and family therapy courses. It is on my short list of must-read books for therapists regardless of preferred approach or years of experience."

American Journal of Family Therapy

"A helpful and accessible resource....Dattilio provides rich case examples that illuminate common maladaptive cognitions and behaviors in couple functioning and the particular role that affect plays in couple and family distress....With an extensive knowledge of the science of couples and family research and a keen passion for the art of clinical work, Dattilio has produced a high-quality, well-informed, and useful guide for CBT couples and family clinicians of all experience levels."

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

"[Uses] well-written and accessible case examples, and provide[s] enough of an overview so that readers unfamiliar with either CBT or common factors will be able to benefit from the text....Dattilio challenges assumptions that CBT ignores emotions and systematic conceptualizations of problems and treatments....Written for clinicians, although researchers new to either CBT or common factors would benefit from the content....Suited for post-graduate clinicians and educators....Highly recommended."

Families in Society

"This book is very helpful for placing into context attempts to reconcile CBT with family/couples’ therapy, which has quite a history….Dattilio gives strength to the idea that ‘the language of CBT’ is useful for understanding all manner of patient presentations."

Clinical Psychology Forum

"Dattilio succeeds in presenting a comprehensive model of CBT with couples and families....A particular strength inherent in Dattilio's writing is his ability to integrate clinical practice informed by and supported by research, leading to evidence-based practice to which we all aspire. He does this by creating a balance of science, theory, practice, and techniques, punctuated by clinical vignettes....This is a must read book for CBT practitioners and couple and family practitioners."

The National Psychologist

"This book lives up to its title—it is comprehensive and almost a mini encyclopedia of information about CBT tools and techniques. Non-CBT specialists will find it comprehensible, well illustrated with clinical examples and applicable to clinical practice....The author describes his methods clearly, with diagrams and references to other authors. His frequent use of clinical examples keeps the material grounded in the reality of client work. The use of headings and sub-headings in the text aid the accessibility and usefulness of the content. Questions and strategies are clearly set out. All this helps the book to be practically useful to busy therapists....Counselors will find the strategies for overcoming common roadblocks and resistance to change relevant and useful. CBT specialists will find the chapters on schema and neuroscience of particular interest....This book has something to offer all therapists who can scour its contents for valuable additions to their therapeutic toolboxes."

The Independent Practitioner