Families in Motion

Clara Gerhardt, MBA, PhD. is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She received extensive international training as a systemic family therapist. From the early eighties onward, she sat in the front rows as the great family therapy movement was unfolding. She attended workshops by many of the pioneers in the field, a veritable Who's Who of family therapy that is slowly receding into history as these pioneers are passing on. This provided her with a unique and personal perspective of the early and by now historic days of family therapy. Her many publications include Parent-Child Relations: An Introduction to Parenting (2019), now in its 10th edition. She contributed a number of entries to the Encyclopedia of Family Studies (2016). She is contributing editor to a publication of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) and writes a regular column Perspectives. She published over a hundred articles related to popular psychology. Her academic home is at Samford University, where she is professor and past chair in Human Development and Family Science. Her favorite courses to teach are Counseling Foundations, Parenting and Multicultural Perspectives. Dr. G. - as her students call her - has presented at about 200 conferences on six continents. She is the product of three continents and speaks five languages fluently. She is exceptionally well travelled, but the best journeys are those leading home to her family.

Preface: From the Head and From the Heart Acknowledgments About the Author PART I: THE DYNAMIC FAMILY SYSTEM Chapter 1. Family Dynamics: Setting Families in Motion Setting Families in Motion Family Dynamics: Meaning Lifespan Development and Family Dynamics Why Study Family Dynamics? Defining Families Census Definitions Diverse Families The Family as a System Functions of the Family Chapter 2. Dimensions That Influence Dynamics Tasks, Structure, and Context The Influences on Dynamics The Choreography of the Family Dance Patterns of Family Interaction Chapter 3. Dynamic Family Commitments The Circle of Safety Launching and Landing: The Dynamic Tasks of the Family The Family Orchestra Shaping the Dynamics of the System Dysfunctional Families Chapter 4. Observing Family Dynamics Observing Families Making Dynamics Visible Cultural Constructions of the Family Family Interventions Working With Families Chapter 5. Explaining Dynamics With Theories Theories: Seeking Connection and Meaning Birth of the Family Therapy Movement Major Theoretical Paradigm Shifts The Context of Systemic Thinking PART II: THE DYNAMIC LANGUAGE OF THE FAMILY Chapter 6. Communication and Family Relationships Reaching Out and Connecting Emotional Interactions Power and Patterns of Decision Making Communication in Multicultural Contexts Cultural Echoes: Nuances in Communication Chapter 7. Communication and Control Family Scripts The Power of Disinformation Family Secrets Professional and Work-Related Communication Chapter 8. Changing Communication Patterns Families in a Digital World The Dynamics of a Digital World Family Rituals in a Digital World Family Communication Networks Chapter 9. Communication and Resilience The Pillars of Resilience Resilience and Self-Regulation Resilience on Various Systemic Levels Chapter 10. Communication and Life's Journey Families: Constant yet Ever Changing Dynamics of Partner Selection Transitions and Turning Points Lifespan-Related Theories PART III: DYNAMICS IN DIVERSE CONTEXTS Chapter 11. Dynamics of Loss Grief and Mourning Interventions: Constructivist Psychotherapy Loss in Limbo: Ambiguous Loss Narrative Therapy Grief Support Grief: The Real Story Chapter 12. Dynamics of Power and Excess The Dynamics of Power The Dynamics of Excess The Dynamics of Collecting From Collecting to Hoarding The Addicted System Chapter 13. Dynamics of Family Structure and Transitions Individual Families Intergenerational Relationships The Single-Child Family System Variations in Family Structure Blended Families Family Transitions Healthy Families Chapter 14. Dynamics of Culture and Change Culture and Change Dynamics of International Families Dynamics of Assimilation Culture and Communication Enculturation and Acculturation Chapter 15. Dynamics of Happiness The Intentionality of Happiness Dynamics of Spiritual Development Education and Public Policy Family Connections and Rituals Glossary References Index

"Families in Motion is a critical exploration of family issues and dynamics. It goes beyond definitions and stats and offers a more nuanced understanding of what's going on in families." -- Rhonda Buckley