Couples and families face daunting challenges as they cope with serious illness and disability. This book gives clinicians a roadmap for helping affected individuals and their loved ones live well with a wide range of child, adult, and later-life conditions. John S. Rolland describes ways to intervene with emerging challenges over the course of long-term or life-threatening disorders. Using vivid case examples, he illustrates how clinicians can help families harness their strengths for positive adaptation and relational growth.

John S. Rolland, MD, MPH, is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He is also Co-Founder and Executive Co-Director of the Chicago Center for Family Health and Director of its Families, Illness, and Collaborative Healthcare Program. Internationally recognized for his integrated conceptual model, clinical work, and research on couple and family psychosocial challenges with serious health conditions, Dr. Rolland is coeditor of Individuals, Families, and the New Era of Genetics. He is past president of the American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA); Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association; Senior Fellow of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, Family Committee; past board member of the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association; and former Fellow of the Yale University Institute for Social and Policy Studies. Dr. Rolland is a recipient of the Innovative Contributions to Family Therapy Award from AFTA and the Blanche F. Ittleson Award from the American Orthopsychiatric Association (now the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice). He is an active speaker and consultant on family-oriented systemic approaches to illness and disability challenges.

I. The Family Systems Illness Model: The Experience of Illness and Disability
1. A Family Psychosocial Map with Chronic Conditions
2. The Psychosocial Typology of Illness
3. The Time Phases of Illness
II. The FSI Model: Working with Couples and Families
4. An Integrative Practice Approach with Couples and Families
5. Facilitating Family Organizational and Communication Processes
6. Understanding Multigenerational Experiences
7. Addressing Life-Cycle Issues with Chronic Conditions
8. Tapping the Power of Family Belief Systems
III. Phase-Related Issues and Specific Populations: Practice Guidelines
9. Helping Families with Anticipatory Loss and Suffering
10. Helping Families in the Terminal Phase
11. Chronic Conditions in Childhood and Adolescence
12. Parental Illness and Later Life Challenges
13. Intimacy Issues for Couples
14. Rebalancing the Couple's Relationship
15. Individual and Family Challenges in the New Era of Genetics
16. Neurocognitive Impairment: Mastering Challenges over Time
IV. The Clinician's Experience and Collaborative Practice
17. Personal Themes for Clinicians: The Shared Experience of Illness
18. Collaborative Health Care: Linking Families with Systems of Care
References
Index