FAMILY THERAPYPresented by: Sana HamzehClinical psychologistPsychotherapist

DEFINITIONFamily therapy (as its name indicates) is an interpersonal therapeutic technique applied to family.

Family therapies are aimed at patients, as well as their family. *

DEFINITION

*Family therapy is directive since the therapist offers the solution for a change.

It also is a strong support welcomed by the family.

FAMILY THERAPY PRINCIPLES

To spot the patients position in the family

Analyse alliances and disrupted family interactions

Emphasise that there is no crazy individual in the family, but that the relationship is crazy.

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All the members are active, even when they are slowing the change down.

There are different sorts of family therapy.

Each therapy has its specificity (technique and references)

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PSYCHOANALYTICAL FAMILY THERAPIESThey use individual psychoanalytical concepts to understand the structure of interpersonal conflicts in the family.*

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They take into account parents unresolved psychological conflicts projection on their child, who bears them passively.

And they consider transgenerational conflicts intervention:

Unresolved conflicts between parents and the patient (child) and their own parents are often projected on this child.

Therapists need to meet every member of the family.

the patients parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters. At least during the first sessions.

Then, the sessions will bring the most important members of the family together. *

How long does a session last for?Sessions last for about an hour and a half. They take place once or twice a month.How does a session take place?Psychoanalytic family therapies involve the usual kind of meetings, during which participants speak. The therapist (sometimes, there are two of them) facilitates the debates. *

*The Systemic Family Therapy (TFS)

*The Systemic Family Therapy (TFS) It is a treatment that analyses the communication and forms of interaction within the family.

OBJECTIVEThe family shares the symptom together and mobilises to confront the fear of repetition through intervening to respect each and everyones role and space.

Why systemic?

Relating to a system in its wholeThere are several conceptsParadoxical communication (double constraint)The patient becomes the holder of the groups symptomology The familys dysfunction consists in domestic violence perpetrated by the husband, violence against children*

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Hated child will never be beautiful.

Transmission through generations Women that have not been protected (within their family of origin) in their childhood and adolescence can often not identify the suffering of their own children when they will be abused.

Transgressions can not be simply explained through the couples relationship.

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We have to refer to each spouses previous generation to understand their action

They are not able to change the perception they have on their son:

a bad child has to be punished in order for him to become better.

The son plays a role of scapegoat for his parents. He represents the expectations that cannot be fulfilled.

The dialogue on relationships is quickly blocked.

Maintaining the couples relationship is paradoxically linked to the fact that they avoid recognising the reciprocal disappointment

The child enables this process by bearing their aggressiveness and sadism. *

Therapy sessions resume each and everyones difficult past experience.Heal childrenHumanise adult-child relationshipsEncourages trust towards adultsTransmit other educational schemes than those perverted by the father (in the case of violent fathers)*

Systemic therapists use the two room process: a room where the family meets with the therapist, a another room separated by a two-way mirror, where a supervisor is located to discuss with the therapist, to protect him from an excessive emotional involvement. The family is of course aware of this setting*

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Family therapy at Restart (TFR)

The whole family is affected, each member has its shadow.

We always speak to the whole family and the therapist will act on every relationship within the family.*

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It should be avoided to the patient to be seen as a scapegoat.

The objective will be to teach a better communication to every family members

To obtain a change, an action must be taken on the how of every family members functioning, rather than the why.

The family, which is a system pattern, is characterised by two contradictory tendencies: homeostasis and a tendency tochange

THE THERAPISTS ROLEHe never appears as the Almighty, official operator, example or model for the family.He collaborates with all the members of the team involved. During the first interview, the therapist looks for the familys motivations and encourages them to avoid resistances. He keeps away the risk of blames, in order to get the best participation possible. One or two sessions to structure the group *

The family therapist sometimes gets a feeling of intrusion or even violation of the familys intimacy. *

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