ABSTRACT
416Family therapy has enjoyed great popularity since its introduction in the middle of the last century and has proved to be effective for a wide range of psychological and relational disorders. Because of its effectiveness, many counselors and therapists develop skills in both individual and family modalities. You have most likely already read the chapters in this book on the three classic traditions in individual therapy: the psychoanalytic, cognitive–behavioral, and humanistic orientations. In this chapter, we discuss the traditional models of family therapy that have their origins in each of these three classic orientations. We then look at the contemporary postmodern, ecological, and integrative approaches that have emerged as part of the increasing awareness, across mental health professions, that the nature of human and systemic differences and of changing contexts requires multiple theoretical perspectives and approaches so practitioners can provide effective counseling and therapy in the modern world of diversity.
