Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling

by Worthington, Everett L., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9780830827640
• ISBN10: 0830827641
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-08-17
• Publisher: Ivp Academic

Summary

Everett L. Worthington, Jr. offers a comprehensive manual for assisting couples over common rough spots and through serious problems in a manner that is compassionate, effective and brief. His hope-focused (rather than problem-focused) approach enables couples to see that change is possible and gives them a new outlook on the future. Combining this with a brief approach that addresses the realities of managed care and tight budgets, Worthington shows how to be strategic in each counseling situation by including teaching, training, exercises, forgiveness, modeling and motivation.At the heart of the book are dozens of interventions and exercises, includingdrawing on central valuespromoting confession and forgivenessstrengthening communicationaiding conflict resolutionchanging patterns of thinkingdeveloping intimacycementing commitmentBacked by years of experience and substantial research, hope-focused marriage counseling offers hope to counselors that they can provide help to troubled couples quickly, compassionately and effectively. This paperback edition includes a new introduction, summarizing the latest findings and developments in marital counseling and applying hope-focused marriage counseling to today's cultural and clinical realities.

Author Biography

Everett L. Worthington, Jr. is chair of the department of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University and serves as director of VCU's Marital Assessment, Therapy and Enrichment Center.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Preface	xiii
Introduction	xv
PART ONE: THEORY
Brief Marital Counseling	17	(11)
Bird's Eye View of Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling	28	(17)
Using the Strategy to Promote Hope	45	(14)
Applying the Strategy to Eight Areas of Marriage	59	(16)
PART TWO: INTERVENTIONS
Precounseling Interventions	75	(9)
Assessment Interventions	84	(17)
Interventions for Drawing on Central Values	101	(10)
Interventions for Revisioning a Core Vision	111	(17)
Interventions for Promoting Confession & Forgiveness	128	(19)
Interventions for Strengthening Communication	147	(21)
Interventions for Aiding Conflict Resolution	168	(27)
Interventions for Changing Cognition	195	(18)
Interventions for Stimulating More Closeness	213	(25)
Interventions for Cementing Commitment	238	(14)
Interventions for Promoting Couple Commencement from Counseling	252	(8)
Essentials of Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling	260	(8)
Appendix: Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling with a Young Professional Couple: A Case Study (Terry L. Hight)	268	(17)
Notes	285	(19)
Author Index	304	(2)
Subject Index	306	(4)
Scripture Index	310