1st Edition

Clinical Treatment Directions for Infidelity A Phenomenological Framework for Understanding

By Nicolle Zapien Copyright 2018
    184 Pages
    by Routledge

    184 Pages
    by Routledge

    Clinical Treatment Directions for Infidelity considers the psychotherapeutic treatment of infidelity from a fresh perspective. Psychotherapy (both couples and individual) for infidelity is notoriously challenging, and clinicians tend to disagree on case conceptualizations and treatment objectives. This book approaches infidelity from a client-centered, phenomenological perspective, informed by qualitative research and social context. Essential for clinicians who work with cases of infidelity, it provides a framework and set of tools with which to approach these cases from a non-judgmental stance that helps clients glean meaning from these experiences and make conscious personal choices about how to move forward.

    Contents, Preface, Acknowledgments, Part I, 1. What Is Infidelity?, 2. Infidelity Today in the United States, 3. Psychotherapy for Infidelity, 4. Phenomenology and Phenomenological Research Methods, 5. The Structure of the Experience of Beginning an Affair, Part II, 6. Clinical Treatment Directions, 7.Clinical Skills Development and Practical Application, Bibliography, Index

    Biography

    Nicolle Zapien, PhD, is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in San Francisco, an AASECT certified sex therapist, and the dean of the School of Professional Psychology and Health at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She holds a PhD in psychology from Saybrook University, an MA in counseling psychology from the Professional School of Psychology, and an EdM in teaching and curriculum from Harvard University. She lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband, two children, and beloved rescue dog.

    "This book is a brilliant reflection on the lived-experience of infidelity. In this book, you will find a well-documented and developed ethic that does not fall in the usual and useless dichotomy of good and bad and is free from any moralistic judgment. I strongly recommend this book to all the people who want to undertake an honest analysis on the topic."

    —Susi Ferrarello, PhD, lecturer at California State University, USA, and philosophical counselor

    "Well-written, engaging, and grounded in practical experience, this text presents readers with a comprehensive understanding of the lived experience of those who have gone through infidelity. It goes beyond a prescription of what to do in treatment, but rather guides a clinician through their own treatment strategies by providing thorough context, perspective, and information. This is a must-have for anyone working with infidelity."

    —Katherine M. Hertlein, PhD, LMFT, professor and program director of the Couple and Family Therapy Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA