Common issues in family therapy

What are some of the issues in dealing with marriage and family therapy? Making boundaries Self disclosure Self of the therapist Counter-transference Clients’ resistance patterns Ethical concerns

Making boundaries In between phone calls/emails (especially by one of the clients) Keeping the sessions to 50 minute-hours Low attendance

Self-disclosure How much of yourself do you disclose? Q: “To help you determine whether I am the right therapist for you, are there any personal questions you wish to ask me?”

Use of personal reactions? Most beneficial when: The treatment process has reached an impasse The family asks for feedback The therapist assumes a defensive position The therapy is about to end “I may be wrong, but does anyone feel as stuck as I do?”

Counter-transference Feelings that get evoked in you How you really feel about the client? And how that feeling influences your relationship with the client?

Frequent resistance patterns When a client challenges your credibility: How long have you been doing this? What does your degree mean? Are you married? Do you have children?

Resistances involving the therapist Therapist’s desire to help might cause them to get too involved in the family problem If the therapist becomes part of the family, he/she might lose sight of the problem

Non-compliance Helplessness  Clients become dependent on the therapist Pseudohostility When family argues about trivial events while avoiding the underlying issues. Silence/silent treatment Failure to follow the therapist’s assigned task

How to deal with resistance? USE “JUDO” Plea of helplessness: “I see what you mean; these problems seem to reappear no matter what you do. You must feel terribly defeated. I must admit this is one of the most difficult situations I have had to deal with. What do you think we should do about it?

How to deal with resistance? USE “JUDO” Pseudohostility Wow, all of you are amazing. You are some of the best fighters I have come across in a long time. How did you get so good at this?

How to deal with resistance? USE “JUDO” Silence I think we have hit a point where it is best not to say anything to one another. I respect everyone’s judgment on this point so please take my silence as a sign of respect.

Uncompleted task “I guess I blew it by asking you to do that task. It was probably more than you could accomplish at this time. Please in the future, if I come up with another idea like that, let me know.”

Ethical Issues AAMFT Code of Ethics http://www.aamft.org/resources/lrm_plan/et hics/ethicscode2001.asp

Code of Ethics Responsibility to clients Confidentiality Professional competence and integrity Responsibility to students and supervisees Responsibility to research participants Responsibility to the profession Financial arrangements Advertising

Most common issues Confidentiality Conflict of interests/Dual relationships Sexual relations with clients