Engaging the Un-Engageable Working with ‘Hot Mix’ Families Jo Law Systemic Family Psychotherapist Lynn Gorring Substance Misuse Nurse Specialist @iamjoannalaw

Our stories @iamjoannalaw

‘Hot Mix’ Young person @iamjoannalaw Poverty, Parental Mental Health Problems, Physical disability &/or illness Anti-social behaviour, YOT involvement. Domestic violence, Family breakdown, Re-constituted families Substance Misuse, Young person &/or parent Young carer Young person Social Communication difficulty: ADHD, ASD &/or ODD School exclusion or refusal. Gang affiliation. @iamjoannalaw

‘Hot Mix’, is this description OK? Self-reflexivity My descriptive offering. Relational -reflexivity @iamjoannalaw

Family Therapy & Addiction Stanton et al, 1982 Steinglass, 2009 @iamjoannalaw

Harm Minimisation Motivational Interviewing Family Interventions Nice Guidelines Harm Minimisation Motivational Interviewing Family Interventions @iamjoannalaw

Invitation to notice ones response, emotionally, physically etc. Musical Interlude Invitation to notice ones response, emotionally, physically etc. U by Kendrik Lamar from the album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) Anthem by Leonard Cohen from the album The Future (1992) @iamjoannalaw

Who am I, and why am I here? @iamjoannalaw

White middle-class, middle-aged What we do What we don’t do @iamjoannalaw

Adolescent Substance Use? Right of passage? FUN? illegal? @iamjoannalaw

Case Study Family Sculpt @iamjoannalaw

“Climb the mountain slowly”, said the Zen Master to the Snail. @iamjoannalaw

Attachment & Change Developing a consistent base Professional friendship Holding hope/optimism A calm flexible mind/curiosity Not understanding too quickly @iamjoannalaw

Just notice, don’t react. Emotional holding ‘Being with’ the story No ‘quick fix’ CYP-IAPT – an uncomfortable fit @iamjoannalaw

A playful and open attitude to serious problems. Irreverence. A playful and open attitude to serious problems. Gerhart & McCollum 2007 @iamjoannalaw

“Seeing the human being rather than a human being needing treatment “Seeing the human being rather than a human being needing treatment.” G&M 2007 @iamjoannalaw

“Therapy. First and foremost a meeting of living persons, searching to find ways to share life together for a short while.” Rober 2005 @iamjoannalaw

Future Forward SMU – Young People. An ongoing area of difficulty for families. The importance of NVR Research Q&A @iamjoannalaw

Thank you @iamjoannalaw

References @iamjoannalaw Carr, A. (2014) The evidence base for family therapy and systemic interventions for child focused problems. 36: 107-157 (121) Gerhart, D and McCollum, E. (2007). Engaging Suffering: Towards a mindful re-visioning of family therapy practice. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy Vol. 33 No. 2, 214-226. Gerhart, D and McCollum, E. (2008). Inviting Therapeutic Presence: A Mindfulness Approach. Mindfulness and the Therapeutic Relationship New York. Guilford Press. Lysack, M. (2008). Relational Mindfulness and Dialogic Space in Family Therapy. In Mindfulness and the Therapeutic Relationship. (Hick, S.F and Bien, T.), Chapter 9. New York. Guilford Press. Rober, P. (2005). Family Therapy as a Dialogue of Living Persons: A perspective inspired by Bakhtin, Voloshinov and Shotter. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy Vol 31 (4) 385-397. Stanton, D. Todd,T and Associates. (1982) The Family Therapy of Drug Abuse and Addiction. New York. Guilford Press. Steinglass, P. (2009). Systemic-motivational therapy for substance abuse disorders: an integrative model. Journal of Family Therapy Vol 31 155-174 @iamjoannalaw