Functional Family Therapy: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Treatment for Diverse Communities

This book details the history, science, and practice of Functional Family Therapy (FFT), an evidence-based model practitioners can use to understand families, the problems they face, and how to enable families to create real and lasting change.

Functional Family Therapy (FFT) has evolved from a theory taught only in universities to become a treatment model implemented in more than eight countries and ten languages. It features specialized training, certification, and systemic fidelity processes that are used worldwide. FFT has been recognized in recent years as one of the premier evidence-based family intervention models for working with adolescents with problem behaviors.

Chapters describe the evolution of the theory and extensive research support for FFT, provide overviews of each stage of treatment, and offer practical guidance for using FFT in a variety of contexts including juvenile and adult justice, child welfare, foster care, and behavioral health; using FFT in community contexts, including training and supervision and measuring and integrating client feedback; and using cutting-edge technological advances to better deliver optimal outcomes for families.

Thomas L. Sexton, PhD, is a licensed psychologist (ret) and professor emeritus at Indiana University and a renowned expert on family-based treatment interventions. He is one of the developers of Functional Family Therapy. He has authored or co-authored ten books, over thirty book chapters, and fifty articles published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Sexton has received numerous awards throughout the years, including the prestigious Family Psychologist of the Year award and the 2023 APA Distinguished Service award for service to Division 43. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and a Diplomate in Couple and Family Psychology.

Astrid van Dam, MS, obtained her master’s in social work from the College of Amsterdam and began her career in child welfare in Amsterdam, working with families and youth. She attained certification as a Functional Family Therapist and shortly after that as an FFT Clinical Site Supervisor. As an employee of the Dutch FFT implementation center, she was the national FFT Consultant, overseeing the FFT implementation in 15 different organizations spread over the Netherlands. Astrid is currently the Chief Clinical Training Officer with FFT Partners. She brings with her expertise in implementing FFT into the real world to ensure model fidelity and positive clinical outcomes for children, youth, and families.

Marta Anderson, LCSW, has a master’s in social work from Hunter College. She began her career in child welfare in New York City, working with families to reduce abuse and neglect and preserve family stability. She was trained in Functional Family Therapy and was a member of the first FFT team utilized in the child welfare setting in NYC. She attained certification as an FFT, an FFT Clinical Site Supervisor, and has extensive experience overseeing FFT Programs. Marta is currently the Director of Implementation and Quality Assurance, as well as a Senior Clinical Consultant with FFT Partners.