"Readers will benefit from encountering numerous ways to understand and navigate there treacherous clinical dilemmas..."-- Brad Sachs, Ph.D., Psychologist, Author, The Good Enough Child "...not only an excellent work but a badly needed work."-- Eugene Arthur Moore, Judge of Probate, Circuit Court of the County of Oakland, Michigan "...useful to anyone who is working with a high-conflict couple dealing with long-standing issues."-- PsycCritiquesX, APA of Books, October 2007"... This is a helpful resource and readable book for professionals in all disciplines..."-- The Family Journal, April 2008"A must read for every attorney, judge, mediator, and everyone in the mental health field..." -- Cloe Madanes, Author, Sex, Love and Violence and The Secret Meaning of Money "As a judge...I was appreciative of the authors tackling several controversial aspects of high-conflict divorce head on. This book will help all of us."-- Joan E. Young, Circuit County Judge, Family Division, Oakland County, Michigan"...marvelous guide..." --Library Journal, November 2006From the PublisherA practical Therapist Series book. Books in this series are designed to answer the troubling "what-do-I-do-now-and-how-do-I-do-it?" questions often confronted in the practice of psychotherapy. Written in plain language, technically innovative, theoretically integrative, filled with case examples, The Practical Therapist Series brings the wisdom and experience of expert mentors to the desk of every therapist.About the AuthorAuthor Bernard Gaulier, Ph.D., is Director of the Court Psychological Clinic (Family Division of the Circuit Court, Oakland County, Michigan). As a forensic psychologist in the field of juvenile justice and custody disputes, he has conducted numerous assessments and helped coordinate services regarding children and family issues. Coauthor Judith Margerum, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and Co-Director of the Michigan Family Institute. Dr. Margerum received her doctorate from the University of Detroit and has over 20 years experience working with families experiencing difficult problems. She provides professional consultation and training as well as therapy. Coauthor Jerome A. Price, M.A., is the director and founder of the Michigan Family Institute. He is an internationally known brief therapist, teacher and consultant who is widely published. He is contributing author in several books, has written numerous articles, and is author of the books Power and Compassion and The Right to be The Grownup. Price is an Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Coauthor James Windell, M.A., is a court psychologist at the Oakland County (Michigan) Circuit Court where he conducts group therapy with adolescent delinquents and treats high-conflict divorce couples. He is the author of several parenting and medical books, and his most recent book is The Fathersytle Advantage. He writes a syndicated parenting column. how can i read books online for free Defusing the High-Conflict Divorce: A Treatment Guide for Working with Angry Couples (The Practical Therapist Series)
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. slow shippingBy melodytThe book is just what I needed. slow to ship12 of 12 people found the following review helpful. How to prevail if your job is to be the cooler headBy Cricket in the CornerCouples who divorce and stay angry at each other, making ongoing demands and endless accusations, creating volatile situations around issues like child custody, and refusing to be reasonable no matter how much professional guidance they get are a drain on legal and therapeutic resources. They're a major pain for counselors and court personnel, whose efforts are wasted when the feuding exes behave like irrational children.This book's four authors pooled their expertise in dealing with high-conflict divorce cases to create a resource for other helping professionals. The result is a savvy guide, brimming with common sense and cool-headed ways to resolve conflict and reduce the frustration of toxic post-divorce relationships. How can you help this couple manage their anger toward each other? How can you get them to put their children first and encourage them to be reasonable with each other? How do you keep them focused on issues, and not each other's personalities? These are a few of the important questions answered in this frank, perceptive volume.The book begins with an eye-opening overview -- incorporating solid research and the authors' own clinical experience -- of what really happens when ex-spouses with children keep fighting. A discussion of dysfunctional patterns that helpers are likely to encounter follows, detailing categories such as co-parents who put their kids in the middle of their fights; substance abuse in one or both exes; one or both ex-partners being accused of mental illness; and other varieties of wheel-spinning pitfalls that cause a lot of collateral damage. There are illustrative examples and a wealth of practical advice here about how to deal with these challenges.Another part of the book offers an insider's view of the legal and mental health systems that deal with high-conflict divorces. The emphasis is on key figures, like attorneys, judges, and clinicians, who can influence a combative situation toward either peace or escalating war. The authors explore alternatives to litigation and stress proven interventions (including a highly successful program developed by Price and Margerum) and demonstrate how helpers can get involved in high-conflict cases without finding themselves sucked into the maelstrom of post-divorce bitterness.This is a clear, astute resource sure to boost the confidence and optimism of anyone responsible for sorting out the complications of high-conflict divorce.11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Excellent book for professionals who deal with high-conlict divorces and for their clientsBy Emily M. BrownIn "Defusing the High-Conflict Divorce," the authors get underneath the surface of high-conflict divorces and describe the types of dysfunction occurring in these families -- dysfunctions which are often not recognized for what they are by legal or mental health professionals. Problems in both the legal and mental health fields that contribute to our dysfunctional adversarial system of divorce are outlined. The authors share information about the kinds of interventions that work and those that don't, in resolving the underlying issues in the family. Throughout the focus is on reducing the parental conflict so that parents are able to meet their children's needs. This book is crucial for legal and mental health professionals who work with divorcing families. It can also offer hope to divorcing couples that there are alternatives other than litigation for resolving conflict.