Brief Therapy for Couples: Helping Partners Help Themselves (Treatment Manuals for Practitioners) - Hardcover

"This book is exciting and stimulating, providing a great example of the combination of science and practice that characterizes good therapy. With his new approach, self-regulatory couple therapy, Halford has successfully expanded upon traditional behavioral marital therapy. Building on the resources of each partner, couples are empowered to define and build the sort of relationship they want. The book is remarkably systematic and clear and features rich clinical examples. Rather than being a cookbook, it encourages the creative application of general principles to the unique problems of each couple. This is a highly valuable text for novice and experienced therapists alike." --Professor Dr. Kurt Hahlweg, Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany

"This is among the most helpful guides to couple therapy that I have come across in quite some time. It will be valuable to researchers, clinicians, graduate-level instructors, and students as it offers a rare blend of sound clinical advice, a strong empirical foundation, and a 'how to' primer. Halford provides a bridge between where the field of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy has been and where it needs to go. Thus, while self-regulatory couple therapy is a new approach, it does not require a leap of faith from techniques that are already tried and true. Brief Therapy for Couples is a compelling read for those of us treating couples for whom traditional cognitive-behavioral techniques fall short. I enthusiastically recommend this book." --Tamara Goldman Sher, PhD, Institute of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology

"Reading this book made me want to put Halford's ideas into immediate use in my own clinical work. Especially useful is the emphasis on the ability of individuals to bring about their own changes. The book packs a wallop by challenging whether long-term interventions are really needed for many couples. It also offers an excellent review of the couple therapy literature, written in a clear, practical fashion. I will highly recommend this book to graduate students and practicing therapists." --K. Daniel O'Leary, PhD, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook