ABSTRACT
This chapter is written as a general and practical introduction to family therapy. It combines the various Ahistorical Process models. Theoretical purists would, and should, be disgruntled by this combination. However, since this is a practical introduction, and not an academic exercise, I think this combination works best for therapists first learning family therapy. It is easy to grasp conceptually and does not require a new vocabulary, only a conceptual shift, and in general gets results (Gurman, Kniskern, & Pinsof, 1986). This combination is typical of how family therapists actually integrate models because of their functionality and apparent results. Moreover, this text is intended as an introduction to ideas more than to model specific techniques. Greater specificity can and should be gained by reading, in detail, the original and contemporary writings for each family therapy orientation.
