Harlene Anderson

Dr. Harlene Anderson is an American psychologist. Along with Dr. Harold A. Goolishian (1924-1991), she developed a postmodern collaborative approach to therapy. She is recognized as a leader in the field of marriage and family therapy for her contributions to theory development, as well as innovative practices and training. The collaborative approach, first developed for use with families and mental health delivery systems, has proven (Anderson, 1997; Anderson & Gehart, 2007) effective with a variety of human systems and professional practices, including: organizations, businesses, higher education, and research.

Co-founder of the Houston Galveston Institute, home of Postmodern Collaborative Therapy (Collaborative Language Systems) and a prolific author, Harlene’s recent books include Collaborative Therapy: Relationships and Conversations that Make a Difference (co-editor Dr. Diane Gehart), Innovations in the Reflecting Process: The Inspiration of Tom Andersen (co-editor Per Jensen) and Conversations, Language and Possibilities: A Postmodern Approach to Therapy.