Creative Family Therapy Techniques

Creative Family Therapy Techniques

Activity Submission Guidelines

Each technique should be between 500-1000 words.You can submit up to 5 techniques. A Sample Submission (Basketball) is provided below for you to use as a guide. Please use the template provided and use arial font.

The technique should be appropriate to one of the following chapters:

1)Engaging and Assessing

2)Strengthening Attachment

3)Improving Parenting

4)Enhancing Communication

5)Terminating

Each technique should identify the following:

Name of activity

Source (Name of contributor and, if previously published, cite the title of the publication)

Goals: 2-6 goals worded in behaviorally measurable terms

Materials: Inexpensive supplies needed for activity implementation

Advance Preparation: Activity creation and setup required prior to the session

Description: Activity implementation and instructions to the family, process questions.

Discussion: How activity meets treatment goals, process issues, special considerations, application and modifications.

Ensure your contribution is your own original work. If the technique is not your copyrighted material, please be sure to obtain written permission from the copyright holder to publish the technique in this book. If the activity has been published elsewhere, please provide the full reference for the activity.

Provide a 40-80 word “Author Bio” that includes your credentials, as well as the following information for publication on the Contributors page in the book: Your Mailing Address, Email Address, and if applicable, your Web Address.

Please refer the sample submission below as a guide, then use the Template to write your activity. Send the technique to me via email as a word attachment to:

If you have any question, please feel free to call me at 416-495-0667.

Thanks!

Liana

(SAMPLE SUBMISSION)

Basketball

Source: Liana Lowenstein

Theme: Enhancing Communication

Goals

Increase open communication among family members
Identify positive aspects of family life and pinpoint areas for change

Materials

Basketball net and hoop (or garbage can and crumpled paper)
Blue and yellow index cards or card stock
Adhesive labels

Advance Preparation

Copy the following onto yellow index cards and color a happy face on the other side:

1)What is your favorite meal?

2)What do you like to do for fun?

3)When was the happiest moment of your life?

4)What is something that money cannot buy that brings you happiness?

5)Tell about a time someone in your family did something nice for you.

6)Tell about a time you and your family did something fun together.

7)What is something nice you can do for someone in your family?

8)Tell about a time someone in your family made you laugh.

9)What’s one of the best thingsthat has happened in your family?

10)What areyou looking forward to doing together as a family?

Copy the following onto blue index cards and color a sad face on the other side:

1)What is your least favorite meal?

2)What’s something you wish you did not have to do at home?

3)Tell about a time someone in your family did something that made you angry.

4)What is one of your biggest worries?

5)Tell about a time someone in your family did something that upset you.

6)Tell about a sad moment in your life.

7)Tell about a problem you are having at home.

8)What would you say to a child who was smiling all the time, when you know she/he is really sad?

9)When was the last time you cried? What happened that made you so upset?

10)What is something you would like to change about your family?

Copy each job from the list below onto a separate self-adhesive label:

Decision Maker:Makes decisions during the session; that is, who will go first.

Police Officer:Ensures family members are following rules for good behavior such as listening when others are talking.

Consequencer:If a family member exhibits inappropriate behavior during the session, the Consequencer leads the family in a discussion about a fair consequence.

Cheerleader:Cheers the family member on when she/he is shooting a basket.

Reader:Reads the questions aloud to the players.

Summarizer:Summarizes significant information learned during the game about each family member.

Description

Explain to the family that they are going to play a special version of basketball, which will help them to discuss happy and sad experiences. The rules are explained as follows:

“Family members take turns shooting a basket. If a player successfully throws the ball through the basketball hoop, she/he picks a card from the ‘happy face’ pile. These questions relate to happy experiences. If a player misses the basket, she/he picks a card from the ‘sad face’ pile. These questions relate to unhappy experiences. The game continues until all the questions have been answered, or until each family member has had a pre-chosen number of turns. If all of the question cards have been answered before the game is over, the pile of cards can be shuffled and re-used.”

Prior to the start of the game, assign one job to each family member (see above list of jobs). Have family members stick their labels onto their shirts and explain their designated jobs.

Active discussion among the family is encouraged during the game. The therapist may wish to stop the game periodically to expand on feelings or issues disclosed by the family members.

After the game, facilitate discussion by asking the following process questions:

1)What new information did you learn about your family?

2)What was the most interesting or surprising response?

3)How difficult or easy was it to answer the questions?

Discussion

Closed communication within a family is often a major factor preventing healthy family functioning. This game increases open communication among family members, particularly when children need help to express their feelings to their parents or siblings. Modifying the traditional game of basketball can engage the family and involve them in playful interaction. The questions can be modified to suit the needs of the family. It is also useful to ask family members to make up some questions of their own for the game.

The therapist can use this game to assess attitudes and styles of interaction, and to intervene therapeutically to address issues raised by the family.

Each client is assigned a “Job” such as Police Officer or Cheerleader. This facilitates participation of all family members and maintains their interest in the game. The jobs can be randomly assigned or the therapist can be more purposeful in assigning them. For example, the oppositional child can be asked to be the Police Officer in order to encourage appropriate behavior. Assigning the role of Cheerleader to a parent can help that parent provide the children with positive reinforcement.

The process questions at the end of the game facilitate discussion among family members and encourage insight.

Reference

Lowenstein, L. (1999). Creative interventions for troubled children and youth. Toronto, ON: Champion Press.

About The Author

Liana Lowenstein, MSW, RSW, CPT-S, is a social worker and Certified Play Therapy Supervisor in Toronto. She maintains a private practice, provides clinical supervision and consultation to mental health professionals, and lectures internationally on child and play therapy. She has authored numerous publications, including the books Paper Dolls and Paper Airplanes: Therapeutic Exercises for Sexually Traumatized Children, Creative Interventions for Troubled Children and Youth, More Creative Interventions for Troubled Children and Youth, Creative Interventions for Bereaved Children, and Creative Interventions for Children of Divorce.

(template)

Name of Activity

Source: (your name)

Theme:(choose one: Engaging and Assessing; Strengthening Attachment; Improving Parenting; Enhancing Communication; Terminating)

Goals(worded in behaviorally measurable terms)

Materials(must be inexpensive and easy to obtain)

Advance Preparation

(Activity creation and setup required prior to the session)

Description

(Activity implementation and instructions to the family, process questions)

Discussion

(How the activity meets treatment goals, process issues, special considerations, application and modifications.)

References

About The Author

(Your Name) (Credentials) (30-80 word bio such as past employment, current type of work, publications, etc.)

Contact Information for Contributor Page

(Your Name), (Credentials)

(Address)

(Phone Number)

(Email)

(Website)