Family therapy, while practiced in the United States in different forms since the 1940s, is not a common mode of treatment in child and family service agencies. Some skills can improve their use, as long as the clinician is open to them.
The majority of clinicians that enter child and family agencies receive their master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Their goal during their work is to gather hours to obtain their license as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Yet the amount of work conducted in actual family therapy is sparse. For many clinicians, the idea of seeing a family in treatment worries them. When asked by a supervisor to treat the family as a whole, they might answer as follows:
“How do I get the parents on board?”
“What if they question my knowledge about being a parent when I’m so young?”
“What if they don’t want to attend?”
“They only want me to fix their child, not them.”
To remove the resistance the clinician might have, several steps should be taken to improve the utilization of family therapy in the child and family agency.
Recognize the resistance parents have to family therapy. Although it’s easier for them to blame the child for the family’s problems, parents know internally they play a part. They simply don’t want to admit it out loud. Parents can feel a sense of guilt and shame when children experience emotional and behavioral problems, which leads to internal stress. Using techniques like Motivational Interviewing can help the clinician feel at ease.
Determine the goal of family therapy. If a child has emotional or behavioral problems, does the clinician want to improve the child’s behavior, the family’s communication, conflict resolution, or a combination of these? Although the family will ultimately develop the goal per their needs, the clinician should be focused on it as well.
Form therapeutic alliances with the members. Clinicians know how to form these relationships with a child. But in a family therapy situation, the clinician must demonstrate to each member they believe them. Each member needs to feel validated and a contributor to the solution.
Finally, relax and enjoy the process. Clinicians may feel uncomfortable when family members participate together. However, the interactions are dynamic. The clinician can ask the family to describe a problem and see the problem’s causes and issues unfold before their eyes. The verbal and non-verbal communication occurring in family therapy creates opportunities for solving problems, being a mediator, and encouraging positive dialogue.
Family therapy in child and family agencies can be improved and utilized more if the clinicians reduce their resistance and use these skills in their practice.
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PRAXES is a nationwide behavioral health software, consulting, and training company. No one in the behavioral health industry has a better reputation, and if you give us the chance, we’ll show you why! At PRAXES, our services improve the efficiency and structure of behavioral health agencies serving children and families nationwide. PRAXES brings over 45 years of administrative and clinical expertise. With more than 100 client companies nationwide, we offer the expertise to advance the quality of behavioral health services. We accomplish these goals through our new clinical decision software, our training of best practices, and helping companies meet regulatory standards. At PRAXES, we believe in being creative and fostering new ways to serve children and their families. Our vision is to empower the families our agencies serve with skills that not only improve their functioning, but help them to thrive in their everyday lives. When you give us the chance, you’ll be connected directly to our friendly staff, so you can expect immediate attention to your inquiry. So, don’t wait, call now!
Dan Thorne has unique perspectives on the field of mental health. As a clinician, he has had over 40 years of experience working with clients in the Southern California area. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Irvine, he worked with children in the Orange County Juvenile Hall. Here he honed his earliest techniques on at-risk children. After that, he obtained his Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton.
In the 1990’s, Dan turned his attention to the clinical and administrative side of behavioral health organizations. For three years, he was the Assistant Administrator of Starting Point, a chemical dependency facility in Costa Mesa, CA. In 2001, he took an opportunity to be the Director of Harbor View Community Services Center in Long Beach. When he arrived, the Center had only 80 clients and 13 staff. When he left, there were over 400 clients and 75 staff. Dan created several programs through their contract with the Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health and Child and Family Services. Under his guidance, Harbor View became one of the leading providers of children’s services in Los Angeles County.
While improving the results of the client’s parents at the Center, Dan reflected on his experiences as a parent. His children themselves had special needs such as mental and intellectual challenges, and Dan knew the toll it takes on the parent. In order to help the child, the parent has to be healthy. From this concept, he created his parenting program. After years of refining it, teaching it to his staff at the Center, and then taking the results and comments from these efforts, he became the developer of the current PRAXES program. It is a culmination of Dan’s personal trials and tribulations as a parent along with empirical results and research of over 40 parenting programs.
Our vision at PRAXES is to advance the strength of parents and caregivers of children with special needs (mental health, intellectual, or physical) through education, support, and empowerment. Thus, they can live healthy and functional lives while caring for the child.
Apogee is a clinical decision software designed to help behavioral health practitioners with their treatment and patient engagement. It provides evidence-based and research-based components. Not only do they consist of elements from such practices as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Seeking Safety, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Functional Behavior Analysis, but also the Intensive Models for Parents, Youth, and Children.
PRAXES has over 30 years of accreditation experience. We know what it takes to get your organization accredited. Whether it’s Joint Commission, CARF, or COA, our team can provide an evaluation of your current status and review the standards which need improvements. We will assist you with the policies, documentation, and training required to be accredited.
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