A crucible is defined as a container in which substances, such as metal, may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. A crucible is also an occasion of severe test or trial, as well as a situation in which different elements interact to produce something new. In counseling, the word crucible has been used to describe the intense experience of family therapy. The process of family therapy is like a crucible—helping contain the intense experiences of the family and helping them create newer, more functional ways of relating with one another. The book titled The Family Crucible was written by Augustus Napier with Carl Whitaker, and was based on Whitaker’s experiential-symbolic approach. This approach to family therapy focused on the experience of the family ...