This book provides a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the origin and the root causes of high-conflict divorce. Through rich case studies, the author points the way toward remediation and makes specific recommendations for the legal and mental health professions. Counselors, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, lawyers, and judges who regularly contend with high-conflict divorce will benefit from drawing from this new approach in their practice.

Over the past thirty years, there has been a dramatic shift in the way the legal system approaches and resolves family disputes. Traditionally, family law dispute resolution was based on an “adversary” system: two parties and their advocates stood before a judge who determined which party was at fault in a divorce and who would be awarded the rights in a custody dispute. Now, many family courts are opting for a “problem-solving” model in which courts attempt to resolve both legal and non-legal issues. At the same time, American families have changed dramatically. Divorce rates have leveled off and begun to drop, while the number of children born and raised outside of marriage has increased sharply. Fathers are more likely to seek an active role in their children’s lives. While this enhanced paternal involvement benefits children, it also increases the likelihood of disputes between parents. As a result, the families who seek legal dispute resolution have become more diverse and their legal situations more complex. In Divorced from Reality, Jane C. Murphy and Jana B. Singer argue that the current "problem solving" model fails to address the realities of today's families. The authors suggest that while today’s dispute resolution regime may represent an improvement over its more adversary predecessor, it is built largely around the model of a divorcing nuclear family with lawyers representing all parties—a model that fits poorly with the realities of today's disputing families. To serve the families it is meant to help, the legal system must adapt and reshape itself.

My purpose in writing this short book is to share my thoughts with my loved ones, especially the children in my life. I hope these words will be a lasting legacy to my children and grandchildren as they grow up and after I am gone. None of these thoughts are original or insightful. They are simple truths and ideas. But young people seldom take the time to sit down and think about basic things. As people like me get older, we see young people make mistakes or suffer or destroy relationships and friendships over simple and obvious issues. I have often looked back and wished I had made some small things part of my approach much earlier in my life. I still often wish I could impart some time-gathered wisdom to my children and grandchildren to smooth their path, allow them to avoid mistakes, and give them a long-term perspective in this short-term, short-sighted world. This book is my effort to share some of what I have learned. These short chapters are not an exhaustive examination of the topics under discussion. Rather they are straight to the point and simple as a grandfather would make the point to a young person who is not excited about sitting down for a long discussion about "meaning of life" issues with Granddad. I hope the young people who read these words will get the gist. For those who need more depth, hopefully, these words will get the discussion started. I plan to share this book with my grandkids. I hope it will be of interest to them. But just as important, I hope this book will be read and appreciated by many grandparents who love their grandchildren. Maybe my words will give them a chance to have a short discussion with their own loved ones. They can share all or some of the points as they see fit. They can share my thoughts and add to them their own take. If they agree with me, this may be an easy way to share some truth and advice. If they disagree, this will be a good place to begin the conversation. I pray that once the habit of discussion with their grandchildren is established, they can share other thoughts that are important to them. God speed, Frank Sanders

What does God think of us when we fail? Steve Roy has had to face his own failures. But his failures also drove him deep into what God thinks about us and success. He found that a biblically grounded view of success and failure challenges our preconceived notions but leads to hopeful renewal that goes beyond what we often ask or think.

Drawing on interviews with American couples from the 1950s to the 1980s, Weiss creates a dynamic portrait of family and social change in the postwar era. She then pairs these firsthand accounts with deft analysis of movies, magazines, and advice books from each decade, providing an intimate look at ordinary marriages in a time of sweeping cultural change. 8 halftones.