[Jester's Rags]

Does anyone want to share their experience with Family Based Therapy? We recently began this and it feels like a great approach for my family (we started this about 2 weeks ago). The therapist comes to our home and works with us.

[growlycat]

I’m not sure what kind of therapy that is. Is it the same thing as family therapy only they go to your home?

Glad that you feel like it is beneficial. It helps when the parents are eager and cooperative.

[CantExplain]

Madame T absolutely refused to see me anywhere except her office. She seemed to think that was important.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by CantExplain

Madame T absolutely refused to see me anywhere except her office. She seemed to think that was important.

my t is the same. We are just too beautiful for them.

[stopdog]

I would not let a therapist in my home.
But if it works for someone else, then I am glad a therapist will do it.

My experience in family based therapy wasn't where I was a member of the system, but rather was another service provider. I was doing home-based teaching for a student unfit to attend school. There were times where I was there when the therapist was there. I think that had the entire family system been invested in betterment and change, it could have been very helpful for them. Yet it was my student who was identified as the "problem," so the parent spent most of the time blaming everything on their child.

I think it's an interesting way to approach family therapy, as the therapist can see the system in its natural habitat.

[CantExplain]

If I were a T, I'd want to see the family in their natural environment, and out of it. I'd also want to see them individually from time to time.

That could get expensive.

We did this (my children and I) several years ago. The focus was one of my children, but it was family-centered. The therapist (a social worker) was in our home for 10 hours each week. The therapist was very young, had no children and followed a fairly rigid curriculum. Overall, it wasn't terribly helpful...more like putting a band aid on a bleeding wound that really needed stitches.

I have a friend who had a similar situation with a different agency - pretty much the same opinion.

[Jazz1971]

I work somewhere that offers this service which is called In Home Therapy. I don't know if this is the case with the OP, but it's usually offered at community agencies and is an intense, short term, children's/youth service. The providers are licensed therapists or new grads in training and they travel to the home. The families I know that have had it usually love it. There are often two providers, one masters level licensed clinician and one bachelors level therapeutic support, who focuses more on the child. They visit twice a week often for two hours. They can see people in the office but since it's a home based service and not outpatient, it's not often unless the family prefers it (rarely) or if going into the home is unsafe. Where I live it's a community agency based service and not something you'd see often or at all in a private practice. This may change or be different in other parts of the country but I haven't seen private practice in home providers that take private insurance or cash. Your mileage may vary depending on the clinician but most of the families I work with really love it for the convenience and the intensity. It's also helpful to see families operate in the home, since it's a different dynamic than what you'd find in an office, especially with the children. It tends to be solution focused and short term , so the focus is intense and goal oriented, which, again, families usually find very helpful.

[Jester's Rags]

Originally Posted by Jazz1971

I work somewhere that offers this service which is called In Home Therapy. I don't know if this is the case with the OP, but it's usually offered at community agencies and is an intense, short term, children's/youth service. The providers are licensed therapists or new grads in training and they travel to the home. The families I know that have had it usually love it. There are often two providers, one masters level licensed clinician and one bachelors level therapeutic support, who focuses more on the child. They visit twice a week often for two hours. They can see people in the office but since it's a home based service and not outpatient, it's not often unless the family prefers it (rarely) or if going into the home is unsafe. Where I live it's a community agency based service and not something you'd see often or at all in a private practice. This may change or be different in other parts of the country but I haven't seen private practice in home providers that take private insurance or cash. Your mileage may vary depending on the clinician but most of the families I work with really love it for the convenience and the intensity. It's also helpful to see families operate in the home, since it's a different dynamic than what you'd find in an office, especially with the children. It tends to be solution focused and short term , so the focus is intense and goal oriented, which, again, families usually find very helpful.

That's what it is. They take an approach that teaches and guides the family as an entity instead of just treating the ill person(s). Everyone in the family is affected by the mental illness so we all do need to work together to overcome it.

Since my initial post, we have had a bunch of sessions, and we (my family) have learned a lot about each other. My son has pretty severe OCD and Bipolar Disorder. I have Bipolar disorder. We all have to learn what behaviors to be aware of. How to treat each other, etc. It is a really interesting approach. There are interactive activities too that really provide insight into relationships.

[CantExplain]

A family consists of individuals. The family cannot change unless at least one individual changes.