COVID-19 has arrived, and as a result, the entire world has changed into an almost unrecognizable form, seemingly in an instant. We all are facing losses of one sort or another. Not only are our client families severely stressed by the pandemic, but so are we, the therapists and the supervisors. We are all trying to stay healthy, and keep our personal families safe, while at the same time staying focused on our mission. This webinar series has been developed collaboratively by the directors of the three PA Family Based Training Centers. The purpose is to provide concrete guidance to behavioral health professionals working with high-risk children and their families, who suddenly find themselves limited to delivering services in a telehealth-only format. This is unchartered territory for therapists accustomed to working with families face-to-face in the home. While this new virtual format certainly has some limitations, telehealth also opens doors to surprisingly creative and effective alternative strategies for strengthening child and family functioning, as will be highlighted throughout the series.
Each webinar is brief, ranging from 30 to 45 minutes, and each one contains links to related readings and resources. The webinars in this series are edited versions of facilitated conversations among family-based clinical supervisors and training faculty. The webinars provide practical tips for therapists and supervisors doing family therapy in a telehealth format. To get the most out of these webinars, we recommend that therapists and supervisors view them in a virtual group setting, using them to stimulate additional creative ideas that go beyond those in the webinar.