Family Therapy of Drug Abuse and Addiction

This classic volume offers a powerful extension of family therapy to meet the tenacious clinical challenges of addiction. Showing that drug abuse is a family problem, the authors present workable strategies grounded in research and theory. The book identifies maladaptive patterns occurring in substance-disordered families, delineates the functions of addiction within the family system, and describes effective interventions for altering and restructuring these patterns. Special attention is devoted to common obstacles that practitioners are likely to encounter, such as engaging initially reluctant families in therapy and overcoming resistance. Five informative case studies clearly illustrate the authors' approach.