How to Involve Family When Providing Family-Focused Intervention
Family-focused intervention is a type of counseling that relies on the cooperation of all immediate family members. In this type of therapy, each family member uses their individual strengths to help the collective familial unit. Family-focused intervention is practiced by psychotherapists, social workers, behavioral therapists, and substance abuse counselors. Family-focused intervention may be employed to help resolve problems with addiction, mental illness, abuse and neglect.
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Instructions
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Determine each family member's needs. Before formulating an intervention plan, evaluate what each family member needs, both physically and emotionally. Family members will be more engaged and receptive when a therapy plan meets their individual needs.
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Meet with each family member separately before holding group sessions. To ensure that you understand each family member's perspective, attempt to set up brief individual sessions in addition to group intervention. This is particularly important in verbally or emotionally abusive situations, as it can protect individuals who may be afraid to voice their opinions in front of the perpetrator.
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Create a therapy plan together. Using your knowledge of family-focused intervention principles, sit the group down and discuss what type of therapy the family prefers. For example, some families may respond well to genograms or other visually-based intervention techniques, while others may find discussions or other verbal therapies more effective.
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Give families control of their situation. Empower the family to make their own positive choices by ensuring that they have the resources they need to meet their physical, emotional, and educational needs. If the family is lacking in an area outside of your scope of practice, work in conjunction with their case manager to help them locate and secure additional services.
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