Leader: Dr Colin Reiss

Offered

Clayton First semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit covers family based approaches in mental health management and treatment. Understanding theory; development of practice skills and exploring practical applications of systems; and narrative based work with families are emphasized. Seminars cover development and application of family work in mental health systems, the central and fundamental issue of engagement of families in management and therapy, conceptual framework of the various family therapy approaches, post structural approaches, narrative therapy and solution focus.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, students will be able:

1. To recognise the complex role that the family and other carers play in the life of individuals with a mental illness develop and apply family sensitive practice principles in the context of mental health services and management.
2. To describe the history of 'family-based' approaches in psychiatric management and psychotherapy, the principles of general systems theory, the major structural practice models and theories in family therapy, 'post structural' theory and the derivation of narrative and solution focus practice models in family therapy, the legislation concerning confidentiality and its impact on family and carer involvement and outcome research regarding family involvement in mental health treatment approaches and family therapy.
3. To recognise the influence of therapist's personal, ethnic, gender, professional and work contexts in the shaping of any therapeutic encounter with individuals and families including their own personal values and belief systems as they arose from their own families of origin.
4. To describe and apply the principles of conducting conjoint family sessions in regard to joining engagement, assessment, interventions and recognise the factors which affect engagement and treatment outcome.
5. To demonstrate the ability to work to assimilate and integrate the various modalities of family based work covered in this series with the rest of their psychiatric training and knowledge and be able to use the skills necessary using approaches based on systematic and post structural principals in family therapy to implement family based interventions as a part of total patient management and treatment.

Assessment

Critical literature review 1500 words (60%) and linked oral presentation (40%).

Contact hours

Seminars and practice clinical sessions

Prerequisites

MPM Year 1 units