This highly practical resource integrates the powerful dynamics of family into residential treatment and outdoors-based therapy for young people. Recognizing both the family as the systemic base for promoting change in adolescents and the therapeutic potential of the residential/wilderness setting, experts show how aligning the two can enhance the healing value of the program while promoting higher standards for care. Chapters describe innovative, science-based interventions and techniques for treating common behavioral and emotional problems along a continuum of family involvement and separation, to address issues affecting the family as well as the identified patient. With its accessible ideas and compelling case studies, the book ably demonstrates the critical role of family in adolescent patients’ successful transition to post-treatment life. Among the topics covered: • A parallel process: home therapy while the adolescent or young adult is in residential care.• Intentional separation of families: increasing differentiation through wilderness therapy.• Emerging family therapy models utilized in residential settings.• Engaging families in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare.• Research on coping skills used by youth with emotional and behavioral disorders.• Expanding our understanding of the place of family therapy in residential treatment. Family Therapy with Adolescents in Residential Treatment offers novel, exciting, and effective strategies and techniques for practitioners and mental health professionals particularly interested in family therapy with adolescents, and in related interventions and research.

This book describes Brief Strategic Family Therapy, a strengths-based model for diagnosing and correcting interaction patterns that are linked to troublesome symptoms in children ages 6 to 18.

The present study investigated within a substance abuse treatment center the influence of family therapy on flexibility and cohesion among family members. Past studies have suggested adolescents who abuse substances exist in families who have a lack of balance of flexibility and cohesion. Unfortunately, few studies have examined the influence of family therapy on flexibility and cohesion throughout the states of an adolescent and young adult substance abuse treatment program. The sample of participants for this study was drawn from residents of Capstone Treatment Center in Judsonia, Arkansas. Participants included residents and parents. The Family Flexibility and Cohesion Evaluation Scales IV (FACES IV) was administered two separate times within the process of treatment: upon admission and upon discharge. FACES IV, a self-report instrument, examined family cohesion and family flexibility. It was predicted that the family will exhibit high scores for the Unbalanced Scales and low scores for the Balanced Scales at the time of admission. A second hypothesis predicted that the score of the families' Flexibility and Cohesion will move toward a more balanced system, suggesting a higher level of satisfaction within the family system. Hypothesis one was supported from five of the six scales. Hypothesis two was also supported and research implications of these findings are discussed. -Author

Now more than ever there is a need to ensure that best practices are being used in residential programs. As the focus on costs and outcomes increase, residential programs must clearly demonstrate that the interventions provided are efficient and effective. Readers will learn how to: Create strength-based, empowering and healing environments; Better engage and partner with children, adolescents and families, in meaningful ways; Support those who have experienced trauma and loss, and to prevent and eliminate the use of restraint and seclusion; Respect and include cultural indices in practices; Train, mentor, supervise, support and empower staff about how to deliver promising and best practices, and evidence-informed and evidence-based interventions; and Track long-term outcomes, and create funding strategies to better support sustained positive outcomes. This book encourages readers to think strategically about how agencies, communities and systems can identify and implement actions that lead to positive change and how to work more collaboratively to improve the lives of children and adolescents who have experienced emotional and behavioral life challenges and their families.

Family participation in residential treatment for disturbed adolescents has increased over time. A general sense of this movement is that this is beneficial. However, there are no common descriptions of family involvement in residential treatment in the literature. In order to be able to better understand which components of family involvement are most beneficial, we need to first understand how residential treatment centers (RTCs) define and describe family involvement. This study compiled data from interviews with nine participants, one each from administration, therapy staff, and direct care staff level of three northern Utah RTCs that claimed family involvement in youth treatment at their centers. Results suggest that families are involved in their children's treatment both generally through letters, phone calls, and visits, and specifically through active participation in family therapy. Descriptions of family involvement are provided through thematic presentation with exemplar quotations from participants along with their perspectives on advantages, disadvantages, restrictions, obstacles, and recommendations for enhanced family involvement in adolescent residential treatment. Participants uniformly agreed that family involvement both in general and in therapy is beneficial and that disadvantages are not sufficient to suggest that family involvement, in most cases, should cease. Implications include recommendations for increased resources to facilitate family involvement.

Rich with clinical wisdom, this successful text and practitioner guide offers a comprehensive framework for treating adolescent problems in the family context. Even as teenagers become increasingly independent, Joseph Micucci shows, they still need parental guidance and nurturance. By strengthening family relationships, clinicians can alleviate symptoms and promote behavioral change. Vivid examples and session transcripts illustrate specific strategies for treating eating disorders, depression, anxiety, defiance, underachievement, and other frequently encountered challenges. Weaving together family therapy techniques with ideas from psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral approaches, the book has a pragmatic focus on effective interventions for getting adolescent development back on track. New to This Edition *Thoroughly updated to reflect current research and reader feedback. *Chapter on adolescent anxiety disorders. *Expanded coverage of attachment issues; lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth; and racial and ethnic identity. *New case material, one of the book’s most popular features.

Though a number of books covering adolescent substance abuse are available, there are very few resources that explore the topic in the context of Family Systems Therapy (FST). Youth and Their Families offers an expanded view of the therapeutic process with a specific focus on the relationshipbetween therapists, adolescents, families, communities, and substance use. By applying an FST lens, the clinician learns to view their client as an entire family system being affected by adolescent substance abuse. Furthermore, FST can be used at every stage of the substance abuse interventioncontinuum (from prevention to intervention) to provide increased functioning and strength in the family system. This book incorporates easily applicable clinical skill acquisition with the use of lively cases to give the reader requisite skills to be an effective family systems therapist.