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

2. Our stories
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3. ‘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

4. ‘Hot Mix’, is this description OK?
Self-reflexivity
My descriptive offering.
Relational -reflexivity
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5. Family Therapy & Addiction
Stanton et al, 1982
Steinglass, 2009
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6. Harm Minimisation Motivational Interviewing Family Interventions
Nice Guidelines
Harm Minimisation
Motivational Interviewing
Family Interventions
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7. 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)
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8. Who am I, and why am I here?
@iamjoannalaw

9. White middle-class, middle-aged
What we do
What we don’t do
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10. Adolescent Substance Use?
Right of passage?
FUN?
illegal?
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11. Case Study
Family Sculpt
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12. “Climb the mountain slowly”, said the Zen Master to the Snail.
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13. Attachment & Change Developing a consistent base
Professional friendship
Holding hope/optimism
A calm flexible mind/curiosity
Not understanding too quickly
@iamjoannalaw

14. Just notice, don’t react.
Emotional holding
‘Being with’ the story
No ‘quick fix’
CYP-IAPT – an uncomfortable fit
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15. A playful and open attitude to serious problems.
Irreverence.
A playful and open attitude to serious problems.
Gerhart & McCollum 2007
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16. “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
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17. “Therapy. First and foremost a meeting of living persons, searching to find ways to share life together for a short while.”
Rober 2005
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18. Future Forward
SMU – Young People. An ongoing area of difficulty for families.
The importance of NVR
Research
Q&A
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19. Thank you
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20. References @iamjoannalaw
Carr, A. (2014) The evidence base for family therapy and systemic interventions for child focused problems. 36: (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,
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)
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
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