Family Violence: Explanations and Evidence-Based Clinical Practice

Counselors-in-training, educators, and practitioners will benefit greatly from this in-depth and thought-provoking look at family violence, its effects, and treatment options. Dr. Lawson examines the major issues and current controversies in the field, provides background information on each type of family violence, and offers strategies for combating domestic abuse. In an informative discussion designed to enhance counselors' ability to assess and treat each type of family violence, he covers both well recognized forms of maltreatment, such as the abuse of women and children, and less understood issues, such as female-on-male intimacy violence, parent and elder abuse, same-sex violence, and dating violence and stalking.

After a broad introduction to the history and prevalence of family violence, explanations for and models of family violence are reviewed. The role of culture is then explored, and assessment and treatment strategies for both perpetrators and victims are presented. Case studies throughout the text illustrate clinical applications in action, and recommended readings are provided for further study.