Becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist (eBook)

D. Eugene Mead is Emeritus Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at Brigham Young University, Utah. Over the course of 40 years, he developed and initiated the university's family therapy, sex therapy, marriage and family practicum, and marriage and family therapy supervision classes. He is a member of the American Psychological Association and Clinical Member and Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), having taught the Approved Supervision course at their Winter Institute. He is the author of the acclaimed Effective Supervision: A Task-oriented Model for the Mental Health Professions (1990).

List of Figures, Tables, and Boxes ix

About the Author xi

Foreword xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Part I

1 Becoming a Competent Marriage and Family Therapist 3

2 Basic Therapist Skills 17

3 The Initial Phone Call and Assessing Clients' Complaints and Goals 63

4 Establishing a Treatment Plan and Delivering the Planned Treatment 85

5 Evaluating Adherence to the Treatment Plan and Evaluating Treatment Outcomes 109

6 Terminating Therapy 135

Part II Protocols for Selected Models of Marriage and Family Therapy: Delivering Evidence-Based Treatments

Introduction to Part II 147

7 Protocol for Conducting Gottman Method Couple Therapy 149

8 Protocol for Conducting Emotionally-Focused Therapy with Couples 195

Notes 217

Appendix A Person of the Therapist Checklist 219

Appendix B Therapist Self-Soothing Procedures 221

Appendix C Standard Assessment Battery for Marital Relational Problems 223

Appendix D Written Case Progress Notes 235

Appendix E Observations of the Couples' Communication and Problem-solving Behaviors Therapist's Rating Form Based on Gottman (1999) 237

Appendix F Clinical Experience Log 239

Appendix G Preparing a Written Treatment Plan 241

Appendix H Written Treatment Summary 247

Appendix I Therapy Tailoring Skills Rating Form 249

Appendix J Homework Success: Therapist Guidelines 251

Appendix K Preparation for Supervision Checklist: Couples 253

References 257

Index 285

"This book is the single best source that I am aware of for
helping marriage and family therapy interns in implementing
knowledge and skills as they begin and advance in working with
couples and families. It is apparent that Dr. Mead has shared his
professional lifetime of clinical supervision and training as he
compiled this encyclopedic volume. Practicing professionals, as
well as clinical interns, will greatly benefit from studying and
applying information contained in this book."

--Robert F. Stahmann, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Brigham
Young University

"Becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist represents a
significant step in the training literature in marriage and family
therapy (MFT). It is a challenge to marriage and family therapists
to apply an evidence-based approach to their work not unlike what
MFTs expect of the physicians to whom they take themselves and
their families for treatment. It is a plea to assess thoroughly and
to demonstrate progress and success with the best science
available. It is asking for the field to come of age. I commend
this book as an important contribution to the training
literature."

--Douglas H. Sprenkle, Professor Emeritus, Purdue
University Former Editor, Journal of Marital and Family
Therapy