Component Task: Facilitating Family Therapy Session

This is a type of psychotherapy that is designed to help with issues that specifically affect families’ mental health and functioning. This include but not limited to marital issues, financial problems, conflict between parents and children, the impact of substance abuse or a mental illness on the entire family. This therapy basically involves the nurse, patient, family members and the relevant mental health team members.

Aims

·         Promote problem solving by understanding the family dynamics

·         Facilitate cohesion and improve communication

·         Create a better functional home environment

·         Reduce stigmatization

·         Help handle special family situations

Requirements

·         Chairs

·         Table

·         Pen and notepad

·         Patient’s folder (Electronic/Manual)

·         Assisting nurse

Steps

1.        Advance Preparation

·         Set up an appointment with the patient and family

·         Prepare the venue for the session

·         Ensure patient has taken his/her medication, meal and is well groomed

2.      Welcome patient and family and make them feel at ease

3.      Sit patient and family members in a desired pattern (semi-circular/horse shoe/face - to -face) depending on the number of the family members present

4.      Establish rapport (refer procedure) and explain the procedure to the patient and family

5.      Ask patient and family members to introduce themselves

6.      Pay attention to verbal and non-verbal cues of the patient and family members throughout the interaction

7.       Identify a secretary for the session (assisting nurse)

8.      Encourage open communication among the patient and family

9.      Gather data regarding family history

10.    Identify problems that concern the patient and family

11.      Allow family to explore additional problems that have bearing on the present family concerns

12.    Assess and analyze all the pieces of information given

13.    Identify and assess the various roles each family member plays

14.    Determine if the family roles are rigid or flexible

15.    Suggest ways to resolve conflicts among the family members if any

16.    Plan and formulate interventions for bringing about positive changes to resolve the identified problems with patient and family

17.    Set date, time and venue for next therapy session

18.    Summarize and close the session

19.    Express appreciation to patient and direct him/her to the next activity

20.  Document the procedure and any observation made in nurses’ notes/patient’s folder