Integrative Practice: Presentation of an Inpatient Family Therapy Program

ABSTRACT

An inpatient family therapy program for treating complex combinations of individual, couple, and family problems is presented within a holistic treatment framework. The treatment context and scheduled program form treatment guidelines, yet the single case treatment approach may be tailored. A case vignette illustrates how theories and methods from both the individual and systemic therapy traditions are implemented as integrative practice, enabling synergistic effects. The treatment program is evaluated throughout the therapy and at follow-up. Consumer satisfaction results show that the clients were very pleased with the treatment at discharge, and this satisfaction was maintained at 1-year follow-up.

KEYWORDS:

• Residential couple and family therapy
• integrative practice
• individual and systemic therapy models
• synergistic effects

This article was made possible by grants from the Modum Bad psychiatric center research fund. The family unit's staff gave valuable comments on drafts. Thanks to John Roosevelt Boettiger, PhD, for proofreading this manuscript.