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Although mental health professionals have shown much enthusiasm for the concept "expressed emotion (EE)," little critical analysis of the concept has appeared in the literature. Placing families in dichotomous categories of high EE and low EE amounts to stereotyping; such an approach does little to help professionals in understanding the complexities of family life with a mentally ill relative. High EE is seen as a factor that maintains mental illness in a relative. Once more, families feel hurt and alienated. Once more, families feel negatively labeled, but not empathically understood.

A large percentage of the severely mentally ill in the community live with family members. Families look toward professionals as a major resource in assisting their disabled family members. Unfortunately, their relationships with professionals have often left families feeling blamed, discounted, and frustrated. The authors present a number of suggestions for what professionals can do to work more cooperatively with families.

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This paper describes the recovery process of families of people with severe mental illnesses. The paper describes the phases of family recovery and useful interventions by phase with the family by professionals. The recovery process of people with serious mental illnesses has been well documented but that of the family has been neglected. Hopefully, this paper will generate further research into the impact of serious mental illnesses on family members.

Hutchinson, D. (Eds.) (1994). The re covery workbook: Practical coping and empowerment strategies for people with psychiatric disabilities. Boston:Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation.Sullivan, W P (1994). A long and winding road: The process of recovery from se vere mental illness. In L. Spaniol, C. Gagne, & M. Koehler (Eds.),Psychological and social aspects of psy chiatric disability (pp. 14-24). Boston:Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

This article describes the multiple roles that families can play in the psychiatric rehabilitation process and suggests ways for professionals to collaborate with them. The authors discuss the family's experience of loss and their process of recovery; their caregiving role; their role in supporting other families; their teaching and educational role; their advocacy role; their role as researchers and research subjects; and some suggestions for supporting family roles.