The new edition of this well-known text addresses the plurality of family life today, and considers the way in which the changeable 'theory of family' has influenced the approaches of those working with families. The emphasis in this second edition is on working in a context of cultural diversity and in which life transitions such as marriage, divorce and bereavement, affect the lives of all families, be they multi- or lone-parent, gay or heterosexual. This is an essential text for therapists and counsellors, both in training and in practice, who work with families.