Family Therapy

• Aims


  • Reduce levels of EE - e.g. decrease criticism, increase praise
  • Increase tolerance levels among family members
  • Decrease feelings of guilt in family members
  • Enhance family members' ability to anticipate and solve problems
• Strategies


  • Form a therapeutic alliance with all family members agreeing on aims
  • Psychoeducation - provide knowledge of schizophrenia and how to deal with it
  • Constant review/reflection on what does and doesn't work
  • Set appropriate boundaries and maintain a degree of separation between their roles as carers and family
• Burbach's model


  • Phases 1 and 2 - Share information and identify resources for family
  • Phases 3 and 4 - Learn mutual understanding and look at unhelpful patterns of interaction
  • Phases 5, 6 and 7 - Skills training e.g. stress management techniques, relapse prevention and maintenance
• Regimen


  • 3-12 months
  • Minimum of 10 sessions
  • Usually alongside antipsychotics
  • Tailored to family's needs
  • Often in family's home
• NICE guidelines


  • Service providers ensure all schizophrenia patients can be offered family therapy
  • Healthcare professionals ensure family therapy is offered
  • Clinical commissioning groups ensure money is available for family therapy