Table of Contents

* Preface
* Acknowledgments
* Introduction: Psychotherapy with Individuals, Couples, and Families As a Creative Enterprise
* Old Wine in New Wineskins: What Is Creativity in the Context of Therapy?
* Strengths and Limitations of Creativity in the Therapeutic Process
* Getting the Most from the Incubation and Breaking Out of the Box Exercises
* Section I: The Importance of Creativity in Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy: Health, Dysfunction, and Resiliency
* Chapter 1. Essential Components of Creativity in Individual, Couple, and Family Treatment
* Creative Incubation Exercise #1: Setting the Tone
* Creativity As an Ecological, Contextual, and Systemic Concept
* Eminent and Everyday Creativity
* Creativity in Some Prominent Theories of Counseling
* Creative Problem Finding and Problem Solving
* The Importance of Divergent Thinking in Therapy
* The Creative Process in Therapy
* The creative Use of Play and Humor in Therapy
* Breaking Out of the Box: Creating My Box
* Chapter 2. An Overview of the Role of Creativity in Individual Mental Health, Psychopathology, and Family Dysfunction
* Creative Incubation Exercise #2: Changing Lenses
* The Importance of Creativity to Mental Health
* Creativity, Mental Health, and Psychopathology in Adults: An Overview
* Breaking Out of the Box: Creating My Metaphor
* Chapter 3. Creativity and Resiliency in Children, Adults, Marriages, and Families
* Creative Incubation Exercise #3: A Fresh Perspective
* Creativity and Resiliency
* Creativity in Marriage
* Creativity in Families
* Other Ways of Facilitating Creativity and Creative Thinking in Children and Adults
* Conclusion
* Breaking Out of the Box: Creating Spice
* Section II: Therapists’ Perceptions of Creativity in Their Work with Couples and Families
* Chapter 4. The Meaning, Importance, and Role of Creativity in Couples and Family Therapy
* Creative Incubation Exercise #4: Creativity is . . .
* The Multifaceted Nature of Creativity
* Summary of Qualitative Findings Regarding the Importance of Creativity in Therapy According to Study Participants
* Breaking Out of the Box: From the Eyes of Babes (and Beyond)
* Chapter 5. Characteristics of the Creative Family Therapist
* Creative Incubation Exercise #5: My Creativity Time Line
* Qualities/Characteristics of Creative Family Therapists
* Enhancing Creativity in Individuals, Couples, and Families As Part of the Therapeutic Process
* Breaking Out of the Box: Finding My Flow
* Chapter 6. Creative Interventions in Couples and Family Therapy: Therapists’ Descriptions
* Creative Incubation Exercise #6: Creating Options
* Therapists’ Descriptions of creative Interventions in Couple and Family Therapy
* Creative Closing Rituals and Terminations in Couple and Family Therapy
* Contraindications in Using Experiential and Play-Oriented Approaches
* Breaking Out of the Box: A Session of Possibilities
* Chapter 7. Barriers and Constraints to Creativity in Family Therapy
* Creative Incubation Exercise #7: Barriers and Beyond
* Social-Psychological Inhibitors of Creativity
* Institutional/Organizational Rules, Policies, and Turfism As Inhibitors of Creativity
* Responses from Study Participants Regarding Barriers to Creativity in Therapy
* Breaking Out of the Box: Designing a Creative Ritual
* Section III: Creative Interventions in Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy and Supervision
* Chapter 8. Creative Interventions in Ten Contemporary Schools of Thought, Part 1: Psychodynamic, Intergenerational, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Emotion Focused
* Creative Incubation Exercise #8: Herding Cats
* Introduction
* Psychodynamic Approaches
* Intergenerational Approaches
* Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions
* Emotion-Focused Interventions
* Breaking Out of the Box Creating Shifts
* Chapter 9. Creative I

About the Author

David K Carson, Kent Becker