A Step-by-Step Guide to Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy: A Socially Responsible Approach to Clinical Practice

Writing to the practicing clinician, this book offers a step-by-step practical guide to Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy (SERT) when working with individuals, couples, and families.

Most therapists know sociocultural systems influence their clients’ lives, but few know how to connect the dots between what happens in the wider society, interpersonal neurobiology, relational processes, and client well-being. Written by a founder of SERT, Carmen Knudson-Martin draws on knowledge from multiple disciplines to innovatively weave together a practical step-by-step guide that demystifies the connections between micro and macro processes and relational/self-development.

Divided into four parts, chapters cover how to conceptualize clinical issues through a socio-emotional lens, the therapist’s role in assessment, goal-setting, clinical decision-making, the “how-to” of each of the three phases of the SERT clinical sequence, and self-of-the-therapist work and clinical research that inform the model. The clear writing style and detailed examples make complex social processes accessible, demonstrating how good practice is—and must be—equitable and socially responsible.

This practical guide is essential reading for all mental health professionals, such as seasoned family therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and students in training in these fields.