Family Physicians and Family Therapists: Understanding the Interdependent Synergism

This article, written by a family physician and a family therapist, is designed to identify differences between these two cultures that may serve as stumbling blocks to successful meeting of occupants of these two worlds. With the differences identified and described, various notions and suggestions are offered in an effort to promote more successful bridging between these two groups. There is little question about the synergistic impact that can be engendered for recipients of their care should this bridging be successfully navigated. The present day realities in healthcare make this an idea whose time has not just come, but rather seems imperative.     

焦虑障碍的系统式家庭治疗

焦虑障碍是最常见的心理障碍之一.其具有症状重、病程慢、复发率高、社会功能明显缺损等特点,给个人、家庭和社会造成了巨大的负担.家庭环境因素在焦虑障碍的发病、转归和预后方面都起到重要作用.本文介绍了国内外关于焦虑障碍患者家庭特点和家庭互动模式的研究结果.系统式家庭治疗作为一种家庭治疗模式,具有其独特的治疗理念和方法,国内外研究结果表明系统式家庭治疗用于焦虑障碍具有良好疗效.今后,还应该运用更加多元化的研究方法探讨中国焦虑症家庭动力学特点和家庭功能,并采用更加严格的随机对照设计,进一步证实系统式家庭治疗对焦虑障碍的治疗效果.     

焦虑障碍的系统式家庭治疗

焦虑障碍是最常见的心理障碍之一.其具有症状重、病程慢、复发率高、社会功能明显缺损等特点,给个人、家庭和社会造成了巨大的负担.家庭环境因素在焦虑障碍的发病、转归和预后方面都起到重要作用.本文介绍了国内外关于焦虑障碍患者家庭特点和家庭互动模式的研究结果.系统式家庭治疗作为一种家庭治疗模式,具有其独特的治疗理念和方法,国内外研究结果表明系统式家庭治疗用于焦虑障碍具有良好疗效.今后,还应该运用更加多元化的研究方法探讨中国焦虑症家庭动力学特点和家庭功能,并采用更加严格的随机对照设计,进一步证实系统式家庭治疗对焦虑障碍的治疗效果.     

Involving the family in the evaluation and treatment of the child patient: A psychodynamic approach

The purpose of this article is to provide psychotherapists with a tool for family evaluation using the basic principles of psychodynamic work; and to introduce a transitional format for therapists who have practiced family evaluations in their training institutions and now need to adapt this model to the private practitioner's office. A case example illustrates: (1) Use of the therapist's unconscious for diagnosis of the child and its family, (2) joining the family's intersubjective space, and (3) use of play and therapist's neutrality as ways that the psychodynamically oriented clinician involves the family in the evaluation and treatment of the child.     

The Present State and Future of Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy: A Post-Modern Analysis

Symbolic-experiential family therapy (SEFT) is facing an important phase in its development. With the death of Carl Whitaker, it is not certain in which direction SEFT will be headed. This paper describes some of the challenges that SEFT presently faces and what can be done to surmount them. It is proposed that SEFT theorists and therapists concentrate on the post-modern components of the theory. By moving in a post-modern, constructionist direction, SEFT will be developing with a current trend in family therapy, allowing SEFT to continue as an important family therapy model.     

Structural family therapy with Mexican-American family systems

Characteristics of traditional Mexican-American families with consequent family rules that affect these family systems are discussed along with selected clinical cases. The specific cases discussed involve: (1) interactions with family of origin in intercultural marriages, (2) intracultural differences in levels of acculturation and traditional family rules, and (3) extended family impact in response to severe life crisis. The development of therapeutic processes from structural and strategic family therapy approaches, which reflect appreciation for cultural differences and strengths, is suggested.This material was presented at the annual meeting of the Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, January, 1994, San Antonio, TX.     

Understanding Thai Families: A Cultural Context for Therapists Using a Structural Approach

This article describes six cultural influences that affect Thai families: religious beliefs, rural and urban considerations, family relationships, societal values, masculine and feminine roles, and sexuality. A case study of a Thai family struggling with these issues and interventions from a structural therapy perspective is presented.     

Continued Evolution of Family Therapy: The Last Twenty Years

There have been numerous accounts of the history and major trends and issues in family therapy during the field's first three decades in the literature (see for example: Broderick & Shrader, 1981; Framo, 1972; Guerin, 1976; Kaslow, 1973, 1977, 1980; Nichols, 1986, 1999 for some varied depictions, written from each respective author's unique lens). Viewed as a set, packaged with different, yet interrelated contents, they offer a multihued portrait of the emerging field during its infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Now it is time to move on and look at the adulthood era as it has unfolded.     

Family Therapy Study Group: The Mumbai Experience

Family therapy training in India is not provided in a systematic manner. Only one institution, the National Institute of Mental Health and NeuroSciences at Bangalore, offers this training, in the form of a three-month program. Consequently, a workshop on basic skills in Family Therapy was conducted in February 2003, at Mumbai, by a trained family therapist from Bangalore. The workshop resulted in founding the Family Therapy Study Group (Mumbai), a non-registered body, in March 2003 so that learning could continue to occur. The group meets once a month for two hours and has had 18 such meetings at this writing. This paper describes the objectives, activities, significant achievements, and future plans of the study group.     

The Voices of Therapists and Children Regarding the Inclusion of Children in Family Therapy: A Systematic Research Synthesis

In 1970, Nathan Ackerman challenged the field of marriage and family therapy to actively involve young children in the family therapy process. How has the field of marriage and family therapy responded to his challenge? Using a systematic research synthesis to review and critique the non-empirical and empirical literature in the area of children in family therapy, the author discovered that the field of marriage and family therapy has not responded to Ackerman's challenge in the way he may have hoped for nearly three decades ago. A summary of the literature's findings is provided and recommendations for future research, as well as implications, for the field of marriage and family therapy are discussed.     

Family Therapy in France: A Brief Overview

The major issues in contemporary family therapy in France are described: Difficult beginnings, the practice of family therapy today, training and professionalisation, organization for family therapy, journals and publishing, and perspectives for family therapy in France.A psychiatrist, Head of Hospital Psychiatric and Mental Health Center near Paris (Ville Evrard. France 93330) and a family therapist     

Beyond the Frying Pan: Addressing Work Issues with Women in Therapy

In recent years, mental health practitioners have been exploring how women are balancing work and family. Given how this issue affects womens experiences in the corporate world and at home, marriage and family therapists are attempting to consider this concern as they treat female clients individually and within relational systems. Few articles and studies have examined the issues female employees face in the workplace and how the issues influence the therapeutic process. In this article, the authors examine the organizational, sociological, and cultural challenges women deal with at work and apply these areas to the therapeutic context. The authors present a case study of a female client enduring a difficult work situation, discussing how to view and approach this case from a feminist family therapy perspective.     

Fostering Client Creativity in Family Therapy: A Process Research Study

Creativity has been shown to enhance problem solving, and to increase flexibility and adaptability—qualities associated with positive therapeutic outcomes. Literature related to therapist and/or client creativity is primarily anecdotal. Empirical literature addressing how therapists can facilitate the creativity of their clients in family therapy is scarce. In this study, the researchers used process methodology to code the behavior of therapists and clients in 31 videotaped family therapy sessions. Results show a significant positive correlation between interventions that induce positive affect and the creative client behaviors of optimism and playfulness.     

Families and family therapy in Germany

The author describes some of the effects of decades of life under a dictatorship for East Germans and the effects on family life and family therapy of changes following the recent reunification of Germany. A case example illustrates some intergenerational family problems associated with the changes. Contrasts are drawn between East and West Germany and family therapy's present stage of development is depicted in both parts of the reunified country. Germany has approximately 10,000 trained family therapists, a minority of whom work in private practice. The largest amount of family and couples therapy is performed in agencies.Portions of this material were first presented in a poster session at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy annual conference in Miami Beach, 1992.     

Stories for therapy: The right story to the right person at the right time

In the postmodern information era with its increasing complexity and demands on my time, I find storytelling increasingly attractive. The right story told to the right person(s) at the right time in the right way can powerfully define and shape both individuals and the systems into which they organize themselves. As interventions go, I find stories to be relatively high impact, low-risk, parsimonious, and user-friendly. This paper contains some of my favorite teaching stories and describes why and how I use them as both a family therapist and teacher of family therapy.     

Family Secrets: The Case of the Patient Kept in the Dark

The author examines the position of a child from whom important matters in his or her own life or key events in the family have been kept secret, outlines criteria by which the decision whether or not to unveil the secret should be made, and urges colleagues to gather more data and examine further family secrets.     

A Comparison of AAMFT Approved Supervisors with Master’s and Doctoral Degrees

Given the importance of American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Approved Supervisors to education, training, and regulation of marital and family therapists (MFTs), this study used 2001 national survey data to compare masters prepared AAMFT Approved Supervisors with those who possessed a doctorate. There has been a consistent increase from 1976 when 33% of Approved Supervisors were masters practitioners until today where they comprise approximately half of the Approved Supervisors respondents. We found modest differences with some overlap between masters and doctoral supervisors. More doctoral AAMFT Approved Supervisors provided supervision in private practice settings, were involved in professional organizations, had a pluralistic theoretical orientation, and were involved in ongoing MFT scholarship.     

Family of the forest: Fatal enmeshment and other systems issues in the animal world

While the observation of non-human animal behavior has been a major means of developing psychological theories, it has been rarely used by marriage and family therapists to devise or explain systemic ideas. Jane Goodall's multigenerational research on the Flo family of wild chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania, as presented in her own and other's writing, and especially in Hugo van Lawick's documentary film,People of the Forest, offers a clear example of how systems concepts' application to animal families may have theoretical, pedagogical, and clinical utility.My thanks to my good friend, Violet Richman, who suggested the subject for this paper.     

Marriage and Family Therapy with Low-Income Clients: Professional,Ethical, and Clinical Issues

Economic stress greatly increases the likelihood of mental health issues occurring within a family. Although this is widely known within the mental health profession, there is a lack of literature that assists therapists in working effectively with low-income clients. As a result, marriage and family therapists may be ill equipped to meet the needs of those in poverty, and may even be conducting therapy that is ethically unsound. The authors of this article discuss several ethical and professional issues regarding therapy with families in poverty. A number of suggestions are presented for improving the effectiveness of therapy with low-income clients. Michele E. Grimes and Alyssa D. McElwain are masters students in Marriage and Family Therapy at Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, IN. Michele E. Grimes and Alyssa D. McElwain contributed equally to this article.     

The Drama of Couples Therapy

In the author's view, the intensity of couples/family treatment arises from a suppressed acknowledgment of reciprocity, of interconnectedness among family members, beyond the often familiar dynamics of blaming and deprivation. Eliciting a recognition of profound interdependence raises anxiety, and stands in opposition to culturally prescribed concepts of autonomy and independence. To this end, a dramaturgical model of couples/family is proposed and discussed, involving the therapist's participation as director, witness or audience, and protagonist.