Working with Fathers

This is the first book to provide a comprehensive guide to working with fathers therapeutically. It looks at the issues that therapy raises for men and how this work can affect the wider family. It also looks at the kind of mental health issues that affect men and family dynamics, whether fathers' impact on children or vice versa.

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Patterns of family life are changing rapidly and; with them, the role of fathers in parenting. Fatherhood and fathering are an important concern for every practitioner, whether they are working with fathers directly, with children, couples and families, or with individuals discussing their own fathers. Yet fathers are often neglected in research and overlooked in professional practice. This book synthesises existing and original research to provide a wide-ranging overview of the salient theoretical and practical issues inherent in working with fathers.

Setting its analysis in a clear context of social and cultural change, the book highlights the importance of keeping fathers in mind at all times in therapeutic work. In particular, it:

• Considers the practical challenges of engaging fathers in clinical work
• Addresses issues of difference, whether of culture, class or domestic living arrangements
• Draws on systemic, narrative and attachment theory to illuminate some of the key issues for practice
• Discusses working with fathers from a variety of angles, including mental health issues in men, domestic violence, group work and working with fathers in prisons
• Provides vivid and illuminating vignettes to illustrate issues for practice

With its strong focus and emphasis on reflective practice, this is an essential book full of thoughtful and accessible guidance for trainees and practitioners in clinical psychology, psychotherapy, family therapy, social work and related fields.