Positive Psychology and Family Therapy

Book excerpt: An affirming guide equipping family therapists to effectively incorporate positive psychology within their practices The next step in the evolution of family therapy, positive psychology has enabled family therapists to help families—whatever their form—to build upon their strengths, overcome dysfunction, and move to new levels of harmony and thriving. Positive Psychology and Family Therapy: Creative Techniques and Practical Tools for Guiding Change and Enhancing Growth integrates positive psychology into traditional family therapy, presenting therapists with best-practice wisdom and evidence-based clinical tools to help?turn dysfunctional or troubled families into flourishing families. Contributing a unique perspective to the field that combines the research, practice, and theory associated with the latest in positive psychology and family therapy, Positive Psychology and Family Therapy equips therapists to cultivate virtues, such as empathy, kindness, responsibility, involvement, social justice, work ethic, teamwork, purpose, and volunteerism. Filled with homework assignments and exercises that integrate positive techniques and interventions, this book establishes and promotes the family as the basic building block of the individual and the community. Offering therapists with no previous introduction to positive psychology a solid foundation, this text includes essential discussion of family interventions and techniques that demonstrate positive family therapy, as well as case examples that bring the concepts covered to life in real and accessible scenarios. Authors Collie Conoley and Jane Close Conoley draw from their years of experience working with families to offer an integrated, practical?approach that allows family therapists to utilize positive psychology principles effectively within their practices.