Professionals as Citizens: Civic Engagement Skills for Practitioners

In this new book William J. Doherty, an accomplished proponent of systems theory, extends the theory to a next logical step when proposing that therapists take a more active role in the politics, policies, and social issues within and beyond their communities. By moving toward a more integrative role as a "citizen professional," the therapist can take a more pro-active stance in his community and can help to influence (or at the very least have a greater understanding of) the factors that contribute to his client's presenting issues. In this book, Dr. Doherty presents the practitioner with ways translate existing skills into valuable civic engagement, while also outlining new skills and areas of enhancement that therapists can strive towards achieving with this novel approach.