Working with Families

The most up-to-date edition of the gold standard reference in family therapy

Clinician-focused and highly practical, this essential resource emphasizes hands on application over abstract theory. Building on the legacy of John T. Edwards, the newly revised Third Edition addresses contemporary challenges facing families—including addiction and the opioid crisis, trauma, social isolation, cultural complexity, and the impact of technology—by providing concrete tools clinicians can use immediately in practice.

Designed as a true “how to” resource manual, the book demystifies family systems theory and translates it into clear clinical models, interventions, and case examples. Its content is applicable across a wide range of settings, including mental health, substance use treatment, education, child welfare, and criminal justice. While preserving Edwards’ accessible and practical voice, this edition incorporates updated language, reorganized content for improved usability, and expanded attention to cultural humility, special populations, therapist use of self, and clinical supervision.

A hallmark of the Third Edition is its multimodal, practice ready design, featuring session-by-session templates to guide clinicians in conducting both couples and family therapy, along with updated case material, field tested techniques, editorial commentary, highlighted quotes from John T. Edwards, an extensive video catalog, interviews, and previously unpublished content.

Readers will find:

• An evidence-informed, practice-ready guide for expanding family therapy competence
• Flexible clinical frameworks that prioritize responsiveness over prescriptive models
• Refreshed strategies for working with substance use, trauma, and behavioral addictions in diverse families
• Over 150 integrated video resources to enhance learning and application

Ideal as a primary or supplementary text for graduate programs in social work, counseling, psychology, and marriage and family therapy, Working With Families also serves as an indispensable desk reference for practitioners seeking practical, authoritative, and hope-centered clinical guidance.