The Therapist's Notebook for Family Health Care

Effective interventions to help your clients deal with illness, disability, grief, and loss The Therapist‘s Notebook for Family Health Care presents creative interventions for working with individuals, couples, and families dealing with illness, loss, and disability. This book offers creative resources like homework, handouts, and activities, and effective, field-tested interventions to provide counselors with useful information on specific family dynamics and topics. It equips mental health clinicians with practical therapeutic activities to use in their work with clients struggling with health care or grief issues. The effects of illness, disability, and loss in everyday life can be profound. Besides the individual repercussions, these challenges also affect the lives of the family and social networks of those individuals experiencing them. The Therapist‘s Notebook for Family Health Care brings together the knowledge and experience of over 30 experts in the field for a unique collection that therapists and clients alike will find immediately useful. Situated in four unique subject-specific sections for quick reference, this text covers a broad scope of common problems. Also included is a bonus section focusing on thoughtful suggestions for self-care and professional development. Some of the many topics and techniques presented in The Therapist‘s Notebook for Family Health Care include:

conducting interviews using the biopsychosocial-spiritual method

using the Family System Test (FAST) to explore clients experiences with their healthcare system and providers

increasing social support to manage chronic illness

coping and adapting to developmental changes, challenges, and opportunities using a patient education tool in family therapy

helping children (and their families) to manage pain through knowledge and diaphragmatic breathing

creating a personal ‘superhero for a child