Use of Simulated Clients in Marriage and Family Therapy Education

Simulted patient modules were created to help clinical faculty address suicidal, homicidal, child maltreatment, & domestic violence situations in a protected learning environment. Quelitative data over the course of 2 years revealed six thematic domains regarding therapists’ performance, therpists’ emotions, the simulation experiences, & lessons learned. Educational, clinical, & research recommendations include tools to implement […]

Save a Marriage: Telephone Counselling for Marital Crises

This presentation described the operation of SAM, Save a Marriage, Inc., a telephone service for counselling callers with marital problems. The structure & organizaton of the agency were discussed with attention being given to the training & supervision of the volunteer telephone counsellors. The characteristics of callers were presented. Questions were raised regarding possible means […]

What do you Think About What the Team Said? The Solution-Focused Reflecting Team as a Virtual Therapeutic Community

The use of solution-focused brief therapy with the use of a reflecting team is described. The benefits of this approach for clients, the reflecting team & the therapist are discussed. A case example of couples therapy involving a suicidal 40-year-old woman recovering heroin addict & her husband is presented to illustrate this therapeutic approach. (22 […]

Couple Therapy of Suicidal Persons

This presentation notes that while relationship issues often precipitate suicidal behavior, most theories & treatment maintain an individual focus. The advantages of using couple therapy include the opportunity to: develop a greater appreciation of behavior triggers; directly explore & intervene in couple dynamics; strengthen the suicidal person’s natural support system; diminish dependence on the therapist; […]

Case Consultation: Suicidal Behavior and Marital Interaction

In this article, 2 case studies are detailed which illustrate the marital & developmental dynamics of suicidal behavior. Both case vignettes are based on individual interviews with suicidal persons & their spouses during the suicidal person’s psychiatric hospitalization, as well as on observations of marital interactions. Two analysts present evaluations of the cases. The 1st […]

Difficult Patients, Intractable Symptoms and Spontaneous Recovery in Suicidal Behavior in Families

Discusses strategies for the management of difficult suicidal patients, those with long-standing problems that have proven resistant to therapeutic intervention. The overall approach is research interest (the family is told that the therapist is interested in families in which a problem has persisted). Specific strategies used include charting, therapeutic metaphors & hypnosis. Examples of the […]

Unshared Loss and Marital Conflict