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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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