Book excerpt: TABLE OF CONTENTS: Part 1: Introducing and Understanding Marriage and Family Therapy. 1 Counseling Families: An Introduction. 2 The Family As a System. 3 From Individual Counseling to Marriage and Family Therapy: Building Theoretical Bridges. 4 Using Core Counseling Skills in Marriage and Family Therapy. Part 2: Helping Couples and Families: Bridging Indivdual and Systems Theories. 5 Psychodynamic Theories in Family Treatment. 6 Psychodynamic Systems Theories. 7 Cognitive/ Behavioral Theories in Family Treatment. 8 Cognitive/ Behavioral Systems Theories. 9 Humanistic/ Existential Theories in Family Treatment. 10 Humanistic/ Existential Systems Theories. 11 Transpersonal Theories in Family Treatment. 12 Developmental Systems Theory: A Transpersonal Systems Theory. Part 3: Special Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy. 13 Treating Families with Special Needs. 14 Professional Issues, Ethics, and Research. App. A- AAMFT Code of Ethical Principles for Marriage and Family Therapists. App.B- Ethical Code for the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors.