Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an increasingly common chronic medical condition that affects not only patients but also their families. Because family dynamics, particularly the family life cycle, can and does influence the disease process, those providing counseling to CFS patients and their families would do well to recognize these dynamics.…

In modern society, men and women want to have a successful marriage and a career. However, people are faced with new demands at work and home, and therefore, finding a balance between work and family life is a real challenge. In this article, the data consist of stories written by Finns who have been married for more than 10 years (N = 342 married…

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) presents a number of symptoms and adjustment issues for individuals, but it is also associated with a myriad of risks for the larger family system. A systemic perspective is crucial to comprehending the development of BPD. Promoting healthy relationships with one or more supportive adult enables the child to…

Food addiction among children is a concerning issue. Few empirical studies have examined the relevance of food addiction among pediatric samples, but emerging evidence suggests that some children experience their eating patterns as addictive. The present review will discuss the issue of food addiction among children, and will also attend to the…

Contends that clinicians can most effectively help today's couples and families when they understand and appreciate work-family conflicts, issues, and treatment implications. Reviews relevant information about the history of work-family relations; various types of work-centered families; typical patterns of work-family conflicts; and issues in…

Family therapists need to address the issue of menopause proactively to be of benefit to couples and families during this transitional period in the family life cycle. Physical, psychological, and psychosocial factors affecting the menopausal woman and her family, and ways to address these issues in counseling are discussed. (Author/EMK)

In humorous moments, family counselors and families often learn a lot about themselves and their relationships. This article focuses on the importance of levity and learning within family life and family counseling through the use of a series of vignettes drawn from the author's own experiences. (Author)

Examines the theoretical constructs about the effects of coalitions in the father-mother-child triad from a family systems perspective. How this triadic view interacts with the historical patriarchal structure and with issues of power is addressed from a feminist perspective. (Author/MKA)

A review of marriage-and-family therapy-outcome studies from the past 10 years is discussed. Results indicate success over a broad scope of practices, including problems traditionally treated with individual psychotherapy, and when used in collaboration with other treatment modalities. Implications for the field are presented. (Author/EMK)

Neil Jacobson is a leader in research-based efforts to improve behavioral couples therapy. This interview focuses on his professional journey toward an integrative model, as well as his thoughts about the future directions of behavioral therapy and family counseling. The integrative-couples therapy model is described and discussed. (Author/EMK)

Developmental and transitional issues facing immigrant families as they make their transition from their homeland to the United States are considered. Family role strain and reassessment of values are discussed. Selected research and strategies are presented to assist therapists in reviewing the literature and working with immigrant families.…

Cultural sensitivity, cultural relativism, and the cultural defense are defined and described. Each concept is addressed in terms of its relationship to couple and family counseling. The role of counselor must be broadened and deepened to include the role of cultural broker. (Author/EMK)

Important contributions of "Individual Psychology" to marriage and family counseling are examined. Through "open forum family counseling," a framework is provided for infusing these ideas into training family practitioners. Key concepts, assessment techniques, strategies to help individuals understand their own family of…

Strengths and limitations of culture-specific multicultural counseling perspectives are reviewed and critiqued. Individuals and families and the various cultures they participate in are not static. A new generation of culturally relevant therapies and therapists must find the right balance between culture-specific perspectives and the specific…

Presents a case where a threat of suicide was made in the first session. In this training clinic a closely supervised co-therapy team was used. This case highlights several techniques in the solution-focused approach, and demonstrates how a specific focus can lead to deeper exploration of family concerns. (Author/EMK)