I have used this book several times in my graduate-level course on Intervention Approaches for Couples. I am always looking for texts that are well written, well priced, and that will be good references for students after they graduate and enter the 'real world.' This book is all of the above! It is practical, has a great combination of theory and skills, and resonates with most students. I also like the end-of-chapter exercises and questions.--Judy Zisk Lincoff, LCSW, Instructor, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis
This practical and compassionate book lays out a clear and convincing framework for conducting couple therapy. It helps clinicians make the critical transition from individual to 'couple' thinking and provides the know-how and techniques for successful treatment of diverse relational problems. A key advance is its sensitivity to life cycle challenges that often form the backdrop to couple conflicts. This volume is sure to be an invaluable resource for practicing clinicians and therapists in training.--Jefferson A. Singer, PhD, Department of Psychology, Connecticut College
This groundbreaking book will be of tremendous help to clinicians who want to expand their ability to work with couples. Drawing from a number of perspectives, including family systems, cognitive-behavioral, and psychodynamic approaches, Taibbi has produced a concise, coherent primer. The reader will find practical guidance on understanding and treating the unique challenges facing couples at various phases of the lifespan, including difficulties around money, work, sex, children, and in-laws. Taibbi shows how to keep sessions moving and provides a guide for action-oriented treatment, clearly demonstrating how the work can change the dynamics of relationships.--Marion Solomon, PhD, Director of Training, Lifespan Learning Institute, Los Angeles, California
This thoughtful and practical guide carefully leads the therapist through each stage of the therapeutic encounter with a couple. Of particular value for therapists in training is a study guide at the end of each chapter that encourages readers to explore their own process and use-of-self as an instrument for change.--David E. Greenan, LMFT, EdD, senior faculty, Minuchin Center for the Family, New York, New York
There are a number of books on doing couple therapy based on a particular model, but until now, there hasn't been a text for beginning couple therapists that is so comprehensive, practical, and eclectic. Illustrated with clear, compelling examples, this book is filled with the sage advice of a leader in the field. It is written in a direct, highly readable style, as if the reader were sitting in Taibbi's office receiving hours of supervision. Doing couple therapy can be like navigating a minefield--this book provides the map I wish I'd had when I was starting out.--Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, Center for Self Leadership, Oak Park, Illinois
A gift for seasoned therapists and beginners alike. Treating the intricacies, delicate balances, and difficult compromises of any couple relationship is different from working with individuals or families, and is arguably the most challenging form of therapy. In very clear, engaging writing, Taibbi presents a comprehensive, integrated model of couple treatment. He constructively demonstrates how to utilize systems, behavioral, and developmental treatment models, while keeping the therapy direct, simple, and profoundly compassionate. Despite specializing in couples work for the past 20 years, I found Taibbi's approach compelling and refreshing. There were many useful insights for this old dog, who was quite delighted to learn some new tricks.--David Treadway, PhD, private practice, Weston, Massachusetts
There are a number of books on doing couple therapy based on a particular model, but until now, there hasn't been a text for beginning couple therapists that is so comprehensive, practical, and eclectic. - Richard C. Schwartz, Center for Self Leadership, Illinois, USA
Treating the intricacies, delicate balances, and difficult compromises of any couple relationship is different from working with individuals or families, and is arguably the most challenging form of therapy... Despite specializing in couples work for the past 20 years, I found Taibbi's approach compelling and refreshing. - David Treadway, in private practice, Massachusetts, USA
This groundbreaking book will be of tremendous help to clinicians who want to expand their ability to work with couples....Taibbi shows how to keep sessions moving and provides a guide for action-oriented treatment, clearly demonstrating how the work can change the dynamics of relationships. - Marion Solomon, Director of Training, Lifespan Learning Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA
I have used this book several times in my graduate-level course on Intervention Approaches for Couples....It is practical, has a great combination of theory and skills, and resonates with most students. - Judy Zisk Lincoff, instructor, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, USA
Practical and engaging.... I like the way [Taibbi] encourages therapists to develop their own styles and play to their own strengths in their work with couples. - Sexual and Relationship Therapy
Very much a hands-on, step-by-step guide to doing couple therapy... The basic structure of the book is clear and consistent... The language is clear and accessible... The constant use of case material, with its friendly narrative feel, lightens and enlightens the text. The book is full of engaging and dynamic characters with the whole range of endearing and frustrating personalities that people our work. The author makes a warm and lively relationship with the reader, mirroring the very substance of the couple counselling he is illustrating. Most usefully, the author offers generous quantities of practical strategies for understanding and working with the whole variety of people and presentations that fill the book. - The Independent Practitioner
