Customer Reviews

Attachment-Focused Family Therapy

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Increasingly, there is a trend away from individual approaches to child therapy to focus more on the family. This is especially true in the treatment of children with disrupted attachment patterns, as is common with foster and adopted kids, for example. Drawing upon theory, clinical experience, and case examples, Hughes emphasizes that intervention with families should be playful, curious, and empathic. Hughes also emphasizes the importance of the therapist 'resonating' with what is happening in the treatment.

Many of the concepts and approaches discussed in this book are familiar to those of us who work with foster and adopted children and their families. If you are new to these concepts, this book will broaden your understanding, but it requires a shift in mindset and approach from that of typical child psychology.

This book demonstrates how Dan Hughes has evolved his style over the years. An extremely compassionate and skilled healer, he writes with simplicity and clarity to share the theory behind his work as well as the specific skills to replicate it (Though it isn't easy!!). Dan's work can applied in therapy with all populations, and is a must read in working with parents and children.

I attended a training by Dan Hughes years ago and was very inspired and impressed. This book gives the therapist the real 'flavor' of Hughes' work with attachment disordered children and their families. Humor, empathy, and "finding the words" for the child are used in a way that keeps the focus on the child-mother connection. Many others talk about keeping the focus on that connection...Hughes shows you how to do it. Highly recommended!

An engaging and easy read, Hughes years of experience clearly resound in his theoretical concepts and practical examples. Though the title suggests otherwise, there are many concepts that can easily be applied to daily clinical practice and not reserved for family therapy. His chapters on PACE and "shame and guilt" were the highlight of the book for me.

Excellent, well-written and cutting-edge approach to family therapy. I've been proselytizing Daniel Hughes' wisdom in my current workplace and hoping to change some of the culture of child welfare with his insight.

It is one of the most helpful and excellent books I have read in this field.