2nd Edition

The Adolescent in Family Therapy, Second Edition Harnessing the Power of Relationships

    Rich with clinical wisdom, this successful text and practitioner guide offers a comprehensive framework for treating adolescent problems in the family context. Even as teenagers become increasingly independent, Joseph Micucci shows, they still need parental guidance and nurturance. By strengthening family relationships, clinicians can alleviate symptoms and promote behavioral change. Vivid examples and session transcripts illustrate specific strategies for treating eating disorders, depression, anxiety, defiance, underachievement, and other frequently encountered challenges. Weaving together family therapy techniques with ideas from psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral approaches, the book has a pragmatic focus on effective interventions for getting adolescent development back on track.

    New to This Edition

    *Thoroughly updated to reflect current research and reader feedback.

    *Chapter on adolescent anxiety disorders.

    *Expanded coverage of attachment issues; lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth; and racial and ethnic identity.

    *New case material, one of the book’s most popular features.

    1. Introduction

    2. Adolescent Development

    3. Basic Concepts

    4. How to Assess and Treat Problems

    5. Eating Disorders

    6. Depression and Suicide

    7. Anxiety

    8. Defiant and Disruptive Behavior

    9. Psychosis

    10. Underachievement and Other School-Related Problems

    11. Leaving Home

    12. Families with Multiple Problems

    Epilogue: The ARCH

    Biography

    Joseph A. Micucci, PhD, ABPP, is Professor of Psychology at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he has taught courses in psychological assessment, adolescent development, and family therapy. He has been on the staff of North Memorial Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Robert Wood Johnson, Jr., LIFEstyle Institute in Edison, New Jersey. He also served as Director of the Adolescent Unit and as Chief Psychologist at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Center. Dr. Micucci is a fellow of Division 43 (Society for Couple and Family Psychology) of the American Psychological Association.

    This is a wise and reliable clinical companion for students and seasoned therapists alike who are interested in improving their work with teens and families. Micucci shatters misconceptions, biases, and naysaying about the treatment of a variety of teen problems with his well-organized, comprehensive, and, above all, clinically savvy approach. The second edition extends the contribution of the first by adding new case examples as well as detailed and interesting discussions of anxiety; developmental issues for lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens; and racial and ethnic identity. There are too few top-tier guides on how to do therapy with adolescents and their families, but Micucci has again delivered.--Howard A. Liddle, EdD, ABPP, Departments of Epidemiology, Public Health, and Psychology, and Director, Center for Treatment Research on Adolescent Substance Abuse, University of Miami School of Medicine

    This valuable second edition is an essential text for anyone working with adolescents. Students in family therapy courses, trainees learning to interview adolescents and their families, and seasoned clinicians all will benefit greatly from the book’s clear framework for family-oriented treatment. The up-to-date second edition features expanded coverage of such topics as anxiety and working with lesbian and gay adolescents, as well as powerful new case illustrations. It provides focused conceptual and practical guidelines for treating a wide range of disorders and challenges. With warmth, respect, and expertise, Micucci conveys the true delights of helping adolescents and their families grow and change.--Celia J. Falicov, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego

    Micucci offers an extreme close-up of the many sides, angles, and shades of adolescents in their paradoxical journey to be free from and remain connected to their families. The book provides the tools and conceptual underpinnings necessary for practitioners to be effective in helping struggling adolescents and their families to regain their balance and rediscover their stake in one another. Readers will benefit from Micucci’s eloquent lessons and rich illustrations and will be moved by his sensitivity and heart.--Andrew Malekoff, LCSW, CASAC, Executive Director/CEO, North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, Roslyn Heights, New York

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