Treatment for the chronically ill has traditionally focused on physical factors and symptoms, despite the fact that chronic illness also affects life in an emotional and spiritual way. The approach toward treatment described in this volume addresses all aspects of a patient's life, including their interpersonal experiences and relationships, presenting family therapists and family physicians as part of the same treatment team. This volume thus provides a foundation for understanding the role illness plays in family systems.

The meaning an individual gives to an illness is profoundly...