Doctors want to help their patients. Patients want their doctors to help. But when conflicts arise and lead to an impasse-over issues as simple as prescribing antibiotics for a cold or as complicated as end-of-life care-physicians can be left feeling frustrated and helpless. As their relationship deteriorates, both doctor and patient feel misunderstood and cut-off. Inspired by the authors' experience with a twelve-year-old girl who struggled to take life-saving medication and based on principals and proven techniques from the field of family therapy, the authors present a unique approach to the problem of doctor-patient conflict. This practical guide focuses on how changes in a physician's thinking can improve challenging interactions. Breaking the Cycle features: * A wealth of real-life experiences and case studies that show how impasses arise and how best to respond. * A systematic approach that helps readers overcome impasses by building relationships with their patients, not withdrawing from them. * The knowledge, insights, and experience of an internist, health psychologist, and family therapist. Breaking the Cycle explains how physicians can understand, approach, and resolve doctor-patient conflict in a way that breaks down barriers and builds stronger, more gratifying relationships. "Blackall, Simms, and Green provide a valuable map for those of us striving to navigate the murky waters of challenging physician-patient interactions. Their model is clearly presented, lucid, and practical." -Dan Shapiro, PhD, author of Delivering Doctor Amelia "A practical approach that actually helps physicians, patients, and families reduce conflict ? Speaking as one of the frustrated physicians who has tried to resolve these issues in practice, I am delighted to report that this book by Blackall, Simms, and Green is just what I've been waiting for!" -Mark Siegler, MD, Lindy Bergman Professor of Medicine and Surgery; Director, MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics; Author of Clinical Ethics: A Practical Approach to Ethical Decisions in Clinical Medicine.