Offering a diverse variety of perspectives, Exploring Family Theories , Third Edition, is a combined text/reader that integrates theory with research and applications. In each chapter, Suzanne R. Smith and Raeann R. Hamon present the history, scholarship, and critiques of one principal family theory in a concise manner. Numerous examples and illustrations augment and clarify content, while application questions help students relate these theories to the real world. After each chapter, a follow-up journal article exemplifies how that particular theory is used to guide actual research.
This was a textbook for a class, but it was still sooo helpful for touching on the different theories in family therapy. Really good information in each of the theory chapters. Loved the term breakdowns they did for each theory. Their chapter in family systems describing the cybernetic model is the only material that has ever helped me actually conceptualize cybernetics! Also ecological systems theory and the family stress model… woo! Complicated stuff but this book really helped me understand it even after already learning about some of these things before.
This book offers a valuable resource for any student studying marriage and family and therapy. Hamon, Ingolsby, Miller and Smith summarize the many theories and perspectives presented for the practice of therapy with families. These summaries include important information, such as research, limitations, concepts and applications of each theory. I find this book to be a helpful reference and I would recommend it to anyone going into the field.