Ebook: Specialty Competencies in Couple and Family Psychology

Couples and family psychology is a broad and general specialty in professional psychology that is founded on an understanding of the human experience in a systems context. For the public, the terms "couples" and "family" provide a user friendly translation but underestimate the multifaceted perspectives required of the specialty. Specialists in couples and family psychology have developed unique assessment and treatment methods that impact behavioral and dynamic factors across individuals, couples, families, and larger social systems. In Specialty Competencies in Couple and Family Psychology, Mark Stanton and Robert Welsh provide a comprehensive explanation of the competencies involved in the specialty and illustrates how complexity, reciprocity, interdependence, adaptation, and self-organization are important aspects of the epistemology of a couples and family approach. As the authors underscore for the reader, the specialty of couple and family psychology is not confined to marital or family therapy, but encompasses a broad orientation to human behavior that occurs in the context of relationships as well as larger macrosystemic dynamics. The conceptualization and the application of systemic concepts to human behavior includes a body of knowledge and evidence-based interventions that require specialty training and competence. This is a must-read for all those interested in pursuing couples and family psychology specialty practice. Series in Specialty Competencies in Professional Psychology Series Editors Arthur M. Nezu and Christine Maguth Nezu As the field of psychology continues to grow and new specialty areas emerge and achieve recognition, it has become increasingly important to define the standards of professional specialty practice. Developed and conceived in response to this need for practical guidelines, this series presents methods, strategies, and techniques for conducting day-to-day practice in any given