The authors present an overview of relationship triangles; argue for thinking in terms of triangles for clinical work; explain the structure, process, and function of triangles; set forth a typology of triangles most often seen in various types of practice; and describe intervention and treatment m

Virtually all significant relationships are shadowed by a third party - another person, a competing distraction, or even a memory. While clinicians almost always recognize notorious triangles for the curses that they are - extramarital affairs, for example, or feuds with the in-laws - many therapists continue to underestimate the extent to which different sorts of triangles complicate most people's lives. As ubiquitous as they can be destructive, relationship triangles are the focus of this illuminating new work, which provides a groundbreaking analysis of how triangles function and a hands-on guide to working with triangles in therapy with couples, families, and individuals. The authors show how and why triangles come into being, how to predict their evolving nature, and ways therapists can move from individual to dyad to triangle and back again to create a seamless web of therapy that greatly increases therapeutic flexibility and effectiveness.

This text takes triangles, a concept central to structural and multi-generational family therapy, to the next level of theoretical refinement and clinical usefulness. Easy to read, rich with clinical examples, I recommend it highly to therapists of all persuasions. --Salvador Minuchin, M.D.Will be valuable to individuals in a range of disciplines, whether students in training or beginning or experienced practitioners....Unlike too much literature in this field, this book provides a great richness of detail on the theoretical history of triangles and the strategies for assessment and intervention. The volumes's specific guidelines for clinical management will be extremely helpful to any therapist working with individuals, dyads, and/or families. Every chapter contains enormously useful case illustrations gleaned from the many years of clinical experience of the well-known and highly respected practitioner authors. --Mary Ann Quaranta, DSW, Dean, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service-A valuable resource for clinicians of all disciplines, from trainee onwards. It codifies the concept of relationship triangles, offers a constructive framework for useful intervention, develops the idea, and underpins all of this with a rich abundance of clinical vignettes.--Therapy Today, 3/25/2010ffThis invaluable new addition to the treatment literature will be appreciated by the student, the novice or experienced psychotherapist, and the educator....The authors provide a richly conceptualized treatment that is patient centered and process oriented, with self-focused awareness as the goal. As a clinician, one feels renewed optimist for providing care after reading this book.--Psychiatric Services, 3/25/2010ffPhilip Guerin and his colleagues don't claim that they're riding the crest of the next theoretical wave. They don't spout new jargon to describe what they do, nor claim a special understanding of therapy available only to a few. Instead, they let us in on how they've taken one ideathe emotional triangleand worked with it over the past 25 years, finding richness and depth along the way....Working with Relationship Triangles is one repository of hard-won wisdom that's worth having in your knapsack when the miracle question flops.--Networker, 3/25/2010ffThis book is an excellent resource for therapists wanting to work from a structural and multigenerational family therapy perspective. It makes clear clinically what Bowen and others have written about theoretically. The case studies are particularly helpful in understanding the finer workings of triangles.--Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 3/25/2010