Given the human costs of psychological trauma, social workers should be well versed in trauma-informed care (TIC). This framework helps guide the efforts of systems, organizations, and practitioners toward reducing trauma or mitigating its effects. The field has created TIC principles, although they have yet to be fully realized as practical…

Describes four interventions in brief family therapy, illustrated by case examples. Interventions are aimed at helping clients solve problems, and three assumptions about the nature of change are described. Results of these interventions suggest there is no clinical distinction between clients' perceived change and observed change. (JAC)

Describes the Milan method of working with families, including a pattern of creative teamwork that separates the therapists' cognitive constructions from the family's belief systems, a style of interviewing that releases information latent in the family, and some novel interventions that facilitate the family's capacity to discover nonsymptomatic…

Describes a technique for systematically teaching family therapy trainees the skill of positively connoting family behavior. The step by step procedure emphasizes the basic theoretical assumption that the definition of reality can be changed. Benevolent descriptions reduce family resistance and set the stage for change to occur. (JAC)

Describes the use of the instant camera as a tool for counseling families of infants who fail to thrive. Taking photographs was enjoyable for the family and provided insight into family relationships for the therapist. It also provided continuity of motivation. (JAC)

Presents a brief introduction to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), followed by case examples which illustrate some of the substantive gains which NLP techniques have provided in work with couples and families. NLP's major contributions involve understanding new models of human experience. (WAS)

This paper reviews family therapy with chronically dysfunctional families including the development of family therapy and current trends which appear to give little guidance toward working with severely dysfunctional families. A theoretical stance based upon the systems approach to family functioning and pathology is presented which suggests: (1)…

Describes the operation of a 10-session brief therapy unit for families who have failed in more traditional treatment modalities. Case material is presented to exemplify five different treatment strategies: symptom prescription, reframing, illusion of alternatives, role play, and strategic alliances. Advantages and limitations are discussed.…

Discusses a pilot study in which joint consultations with a family therapist and a matrimonial attorney were offered to 10 couples and one woman contemplating divorce. Videotaped sessions. Suggests joint consultations can be useful in helping couples understand the psychological and legal implications of conflicts expressed during separation.…

Describes techniques of utilization and indirect suggestion in multiple-family group therapy as a component of an alcoholism treatment program. Techniques include: unconscious conditioning, therapeutic binds, indirect suggestion, and the utilization approach. Describes how a set of specific goals can be achieved using these techniques. (Author/KMF)

Presents an approach to family therapy where a group of observers becomes part of a therapeutic team by introducing strategic messages into the sessions. Messages are described in terms of five components: function, target, timing, content, and delivery. Suggests guidelines for effective team functioning and discusses implications for training.…

Describes programs for family counseling which use psychological-educational and skills training methods to remediate individual and family problems or enhance family life. The six articles discuss client-centered skills training, behavioral approaches, cognitive behavioral marital therapy, Adlerian parent education, and couple communication. (JAC)

Describes Project OPT, an intensive short-term intervention in the homes of families with problems in parent-child interaction. Qualities important in achieving success are: (1) to be accepting; (2) to plan clear objectives; (3) understanding of the family system; and (4) to be skilled in relating to children. (Author)

Presents salient issues for therapists in understanding and treating the remarried (REM, second, blended, reconstituted or step) family. The structure of the remarried family is differentiated from that of the intact family. Specific treatment goals for REM families are elaborated and various treatment modalities advocated. (Author)

An intervention strategy called comprehensive counseling is presented as a new approach to dealing with adolescents who have major problems in traditional schools and at home. Components of this approach include: (1) a learning environment in which instructional and counseling procedures are closely related through joint planning by a staff of…