treating families with a psychotic member

Question 1

what kind of therapy do you want to give with a psychotic member

Answer 1

Situation where you do not want to have traditional family therapy

Question 2

is therapy with a psychotic member a conjoint method?

Answer 2

Not a Conjoint Method

-Unlike most family therapy, wherein seeing people all together is an option, that is not the same in these families.
- Expressed Emotion is a central factor in additional psychotic episodes.
-Many people have a single psychotic episode.
-The family is not responsible if additional episodes occur, but family actions may serve as a protective factor.

Question 3

explain psychoeducational method

Answer 3

-The term has become ubiquitous, but in 1980 it was still relatively rare.

Three main factors:
1) Learn about the disease
2) Learn how to predict events and interactions that will be overly stressful
-Where are the points where you know the person will be more vulenrable
3) Connect with supports for the family and the individual with a psychotic disorder.

Question 4

explain predicting stressful events

Answer 4

-Put on your social scientist hat
-Pick out actual events and determine, best possible (with cross reference with individual session with the psychotic member) explanation for intense events (not the psychotic break itself).
-Determine how to avoid similar situations.

Question 5

explain social connection when working with families with a psychotic member

Answer 5

NAMI
-Parents and siblings are not alone.

Peer groups
-Real connections, real support

Connection with others
-Church, Temple, Mosque
-Exercise
-Interest area

Question 6

explain medications today

Answer 6

-Unlike in the past, psychotic disorders that are properly medicated can be held in some check.
-While one is always dealing with significant reality based concerns, a level of “normal” functioning is common now.
-This is not short term care, this is lifetime counseling and medication management

Question 7

explain learning about the disease

Answer 7

Proposed origin
-Not from family behavior

Capacity of individual under treatment
-Can function; some job is possible; friends and loved one can be involved.
-Discuss why their own family member becomes distressed. Understand their world.