Multi-Generational Family Therapy: Tools and Resources for the Therapist

Multi-generational Family Therapy reveals the limits of the medical model in treating mental and relational problems. It instead provides a toolkit for therapists, observing family functioning over at least three generations to explore the developmental history of the family in order to discover links between past trauma and broken emotional bonds, and current problems experienced by family members. Maurizio Andolfi honours the voices of children in therapy and enlists them as the key to unlocking unresolved family issues.

The book provides an experiential model of intervention that centres on creativity and humanity as the best way to build an alliance and work with a family in crisis. Demonstrating with case examples, Andolfi outlines the relational skills and inner self of the therapist, focusing on the ability to be direct, authentic and emphatic. The use of relational questioning, silence, body language, physical contact and movement in therapy are explored in depth.

Multi-generational Family Therapy will be of interest to anyone working with individuals, couples and families including child, adolescent and adult psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors. It will also prove useful to private practitioners, social workers, doctors and paediatricians and educators.