A Live, Interactive Webconference

Cost: This training is free but open only to supervisors and behavioral health professionals working in agencies contracted with CFBT

Thursday, 12/8/22, Norristown Training Group via Live Interactive Zoom
Friday, 12/9/22, Altoona & Susquehanna (formerly WellSpan) Training Groups via Live Interactive Zoom
8:25am-1:05pm

In systemic therapies, a major focus of assessment when treating children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral problems is the relational context of the family. The link between family functioning and the course of child problems is well-established in the empirical literature. While there are numerous available questionnaires and rating scales for assessing family relationships, this workshop focuses primarily on informal direct clinical observation of family interactions. This training introduces a conceptual framework for describing dimensions of family structure that was originally developed by Minuchin and which still informs family assessment in several evidence-based family therapy models, as well as the promising practice, eco-systemic structural family therapy. The structural concepts introduced and described in this workshop include subsystem boundaries, hierarchy and power, and closeness distance.

An overarching goal of this training is to help therapists working in intensive, in-home treatment programs to recognize structural patterns organizing parent-child relationships which have been linked to exacerbation of child problems in the empirical literature. These broad patterns include enmeshment, under organization, and coercive/authoritarian parenting. A typology is introduced as an informal heuristic clinical tool for facilitating observations of family interactional patterns. Throughout the training, videotape examples are utilized to help participants identify and differentiate these different patterns. Implications for family treatment direction is provided for each of the three maladaptive structural patterns described in the training.

Objectives 

As a result of attending this training, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the nature of family structure
2. Identify three maladaptive family structures linked to SED in children and adolescence.
3. Describe interactional patterns that distinguish each maladaptive family structure
4. Describe how family structure can be used to organize treatment

This is an intermediate level course. The target audience is behavioral health professionals working within Pennsylvania’s Family Based program. This is a live synchronous distance learning activity conducted in real time, allowing for simultaneous participation of participants and instructors from different locations.

Agenda

8:25am-10:30am: Focus on Objectives 1 & 2
10:30am-10:40am: Break
10:40am-1:05pm: Focus on Objectives 3 & 4

Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our Policies & FAQs on Live, Interactive Webconferences for additional information regarding CFBT live interactive workshops, accommodations for disabilities, reporting problems with the training, instructions for registering for a training, etc.

A Live, Interactive Webconference
Friday, 11/4/22, All PA Training Groups via Live Interactive Zoom
8:25am-1:05pm

In ESFT, efforts to help children with serious emotional problems mostly flow through the caregivers. Therefore, a critical task in the first stage of treatment is engaging caregivers and building a strong therapeutic alliance. Even in the best of times, this can be challenging for therapists working with disadvantaged, multi-stressed families, where caregivers often have a history of traumatic stress. Many caregivers of the children treated in intensive in-home services are distrusting of mental health professionals and are reluctant to participate or engage in family sessions. They tend to see problems and solutions behaviorally, existing separately from themselves and family relationships. Common barriers to caregiver participation and engagement are identified and explored within the social context of the family and community. The Stages of Change model is introduced to guide therapists’ conceptualization and approach to addressing caregiver treatment-hesitancy. Videos are utilized to demonstrates how to apply Motivational Interviewing strategies and emotional support to strengthening trust and move caregivers toward greater engagement in family treatment and a relational focus.

Objectives 

As a result of attending this training, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the rationale for family therapy and the relational focus of change in ESFT
2. Describe the tasks and goals of the first stage of ESFT treatment, creating the therapeutic system.
3. Identify the most common reasons caregivers are reluctant to participate and fully engage in family treatment
4. Apply a Stages of Change and a Motivational Interviewing approach to engaging caregivers more fully in family treatment

This is an intermediate level course. The target audience is behavioral health professionals working within Pennsylvania’s Family Based program. This is a live synchronous distance learning activity conducted in real time, allowing for simultaneous participation of participants and instructors from different locations.

Agenda

8:25am-10:30am: Focus on Objectives 1 & 2
10:30am-10:40am: Break
10:40am-1:05pm: Focus on Objectives 3 & 4

Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our Policies & FAQs on Live, Interactive Webconferences for additional information regarding CFBT live interactive workshops, accommodations for disabilities, reporting problems with the training, instructions for registering for a training, etc.