Articles by Aaron R. Montgomery, PsyD

Dr. Aaron R. Montgomery is a child, adolescent and adult psychologist with a private practice in Newport Beach, California. His clinical work focuses on psychological assessment and testing as well as individual and family therapy. His research interests include transdiagnostic models of psychopathology and treatment, integrative models of psychotherapy, family systems theory and evidenced-based treatment strategies. In addition to work with patients, Dr. Montgomery provides supervision to graduate level psychology interns and serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and the California Board of Psychology. He enjoys writing on topics related to individual and family therapy, psychotherapy case formulation, transdiagnostic change mechanisms and professional development in clinical psychology. For more information about Dr. Montgomery's work please visit DrAaronMontgomery.com.

3 Essential Ingredients for Effective Family Therapy

3 Essential Ingredients for Effective Family Therapy

One of the challenges I faced during my training as a psychologist was determining how to improve client behavior between sessions in order to optimize treatment outcomes.

Clients often presented with stressful family relationships, relationships that seemed to limit therapeutic progress. I wanted to help my clients as individuals, but I also understood that they did not exist within vacuums. In family therapy, I was able to help clients appreciate how family dynamics and communication styles are important factors in achieving their individual behavioral health goals.

Family therapy also extended my therapeutic reach beyond the individual and beyond the one hour that we had together each week.