This is a constructivistic, qualitative single case study of the reflections of a social work post-graduate student in a practical family therapy training situation, to illustrate the integration of person centered and systemic family therapy theory. The element of uncertainty of the therapist, is the focus of this study. The element of uncertainty, being a part of both the therapist and the therapeutic process, especially if challenged to make paradigm shifts and master new theory and skills, is identified, described, redefined and contructively applied. The focus is to highlight the use of the reframed element of uncertainty in empowering the therapist in the therapeutic process of family therapy. It is outlined how uncertainty can also be of value to empower the therapist to evolve an own unique therapeutic style. / Social work / M.A. (Geestesgesondheid)

This study explored the lived experiences of breast cancer survivors and their intimate partners. The research was informed by a social constructionist framework and phenomenological method of inquiry. While the body of literature on the physical, psychological, and social health of breast cancer survivors is growing, only a few studies have focused solely on the lived experience of survivorship and the uncertainty of recurrence. This study sought to explore the construction of meaning in the couples' context and experiences of surviving breast cancer. The present study examined how breast cancer survivors make meaning of their survivorship in context of living with the fear of recurrence. The researcher investigated the patients' and their intimate partners' experiences of survivorship to gain a better understanding of how their lived experiences affect their relationships to themselves and their significant other and how they cope with the uncertainty of recurrence. The study provided clinical implications for medical family therapists working with breast cancer survivors for couples managing the challenges with survivorship and uncertainty.

The Introduction and Advanced Equine Assisted Family Therapy (EAFT) courses offered at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) provide graduate Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) student therapists the space to learn about collaborating with horses for therapeutic and educational purposes. However, these courses also offer the potential for a unique dimension to self of the therapist development. Through these courses, student therapists are able to learn theory and application of an innovative experiential model for clients, but also utilize the activities to get to know themselves better as emerging therapists. The purpose of this study was to explore if and how the learning that occurs within the EAFT courses transfers into traditional talk therapy sessions. More specifically, the study explored how students utilized the experiential process of learning within the courses to further their understanding of the self of the therapist. The conversations that unfolded from reviewing MFT student therapists’ video recorded talk therapy sessions at the Brief Therapy Institute’s family therapy clinic served as the data. Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) was used to inquire about this process, including specifically how it relates to self of the therapist development.

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Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur familjebehandlare upplever det att arbeta med FFT-metoden samt de faktorerna som gör den funktionell. Eftersom FFT är anpassad till den amerikanska kulturen som skiljer sig ganska mycket från den svenska, båda i kultur och socialsystem är det viktigt att inte bara utvärdera utifrån modellen men också hur implementering och anpassning av modellen har gått. För att kunna besvara syftet och frågeställningar har fem kvalitativa intervjuer genomförts av semistrukturerad karaktär. Urvalet av respondenter gjordes utifrån snöbollsmetoden där de intervjuade arbetar inom socialtjänstens öppenvård. Resultaten visade att det finns många saker som ska tas hänsyn till vid anpassning till andra kulturer, bland annat utbildningar, målgrupper och ekonomi. FFT är en behandlingsmetod och en påbyggnadsutbildning där gränsen mellan det som är klientens behandling och det som är FFT-terapeuternas utbildning är diffus. Studien kan bidra med tankar om hur man skulle kunna göra vidare studier rörande utbildning och implementering av evidensbaserade modeller.

Although clinical hypnosis has been studied in a variety of ways, most of the research has focused on individual and evidence-based approaches; few have examined relational or systemic models. Influenced by Milton Erickson’s hypnosis methods and Gregory Bateson’s systemic concepts, relational hypnotherapists value the importance of both the intra- and interpersonal context in the treatment of problems, accentuating the significance of the mind and body connection (or relationship) in inviting non-volitional therapeutic change. The author of this research explored how Douglas Flemons, the developer of relational hypnosis, facilitated an enduring non-volitional shift with a client, “Grace,” who desired to have a baby but could not see or talk about blood, needles, or medical procedures without fainting. Using context-enriched conversation analysis (CECA), the author embraced his theoretical understanding of relational hypnosis as a guide to examine multiple sources of data, which included selected audio-recorded excerpts from Douglas and Grace’s hypnotherapeutic sessions; Grace’s descriptions of change in her email correspondence with Douglas; and Douglas’s case notes. Although there were a total of eight sessions, the author’s analysis revealed that the most influential and significant moments occurred during the first two sessions. Douglas’s initial interventions, or as he would say, intraventions, laid the foundation for a shift in Grace’s identity, which helped her embrace a variety of resourceful skills and attributes to overcome her problem. The author also discussed the clinical and research implications for relational hypnosis, brief and family therapy, and psychotherapy in general.

Each year thousands of children are removed from their homes and placed in foster care where they lose connections with their family, community, and friends. Coakley (2007) points out that children of color are overly represented within the child welfare system, and there is a lack of research on Black fathers and their involvement when their children become a part of the system. Studies have suggested that most families that encounter the child welfare system have adult males who are actively involved with their families, however, child welfare workers do not engage these men (Coady, Hoy, & Cameron, 2013). The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of Black fathers who were previously involved in the child welfare system. Semi-structured interviews were completed with four Black fathers who were previously involved with the child welfare system. Five major themes emerged during the process of data analysis that illuminated the fathers’ experiences and gave meaning to their stories, including case worker attitude, services overload, intergenerational child welfare involvement, feelings of helplessness and willingness to comply. There were also several sub-themes for three of the larger themes. The findings are discussed in light of current literature about father involvement in child welfare, and Black fathers in particular. Implications of the findings are discussed for the field of family therapy, future research and practice. It is my hope that the information obtained from this study will help inform current practices within child welfare and the field of marriage and family therapy to more effectively engage Black fathers in the child welfare system.

Literature supports that family members of individuals who abuse substances are significantly influential, whether it be positive or negative (Liddle et al., 2001). Evidence-based family therapy decreases substance use by adolescents (Slesnick et al., 2006). The purpose of this study was to gain the perspectives of clinical directors regarding decision making of family involvement at inpatient substance abuse treatment centers. Clinical directors were the focus of this study due to their experience, credentials, and their ability to oversee all clients and programs in a substance abuse treatment center. Purposeful sampling was utilized to obtain participants. Saturation was reached at three participants. The study used Thematic Analysis to analyze perspectives of clinical directors and identify themes between and among all participants. The data collection utilized were interviews with clinical directors. The importance of family involvement, factors related to choice of model, and evidence-based models preferred were the main themes discovered utilizing Thematic Analysis. Thematic Analysis exhibited all clinical directors in this study perceived family involvement ‛essential’ and all were not directly in control of decision making regarding family involvement with clients at inpatient substance abuse treatment centers.