Covering evolving viewpoints, perspectives, values, and intervention techniques, as well as ethical and other professional issues, this text chronicles the history, development, training, research, and interventions of the field of family therapy. It includes a basic introduction to family systems theory and a family life cycle framework. The book also integrates references to alternative family styles, changing sex roles, ethnicity, socioeconomic influences, incest, substance abuse, and family violence. The work features case studies with transcripts of actual therapy sessions to bring theory to life for students.