Family- Involved Substance Abuse Treatment
Name. Lindora C. Roby
Student ID# AODO1364
Complete the following assignments and return them to us to be eligible to
receive your “certificate Of Completion”. Your answers should average two
paragraphs for each question.
Lesson One Homework:
Discuss some of the goals of family therapy.
The two main goals are to 1 first identify and begin to utilize the family strengths
and resources in order to promote the Client’s quality sobriety.
2. Soften the impact of chemical dependence on both the identified client and the
family.
The family therapist will look at the family as a system and try to help begin to
change the ways family members relate to each other. The hope is this will, in
turn, bring helpful changes to the family.
When goals are facilitated by substance abuse counselors, they are usually
individualized and focus mainly on the client. So the family’s perspective, which
is crucial to the healing process, is often left out or under appreciated. Family
therapists also view family members as clients themselves, with their own issues
and goals.
Lesson Two Homework: Discuss one or two of the differences in
approach between substance counselors and family therapists.
Using the disease model, substance abuse counselors are likely to view substance
as a “Family disease that affects all family members. The focus will most likely be
on the substance abuse of the family member, and the resulting in negative
consequences.
The Disease Model is pragmatic in orientation-it is widely used because it offers
a useful framework for treatment.
The family system model sees substance as a symptom of a dysfunctional family.
The family system model, on the other hand, is drawn from theory.
Lesson Three: Define three of the basic concepts of family therapy.
1. CIRCULAR CASUALITY- when one family member changes the others do
too, this eventually changes the first family member again and again, and so on.
This means it is impossible to know which came first the substance abuse or the
enabling behavior.
2. Enduring Family- Family ties when families are connected through proximity
and daily interaction. Family therapists recognize that there are strong ties, and
that therapists will often address issues of loyalty that can continue to shape
behavior of family members despite the absence or even death of another family
member.
3. Change And Balance – Are two more important concepts. Family rules and
scripts change over time, and families adapt differently when faced with the
need to change. Homeostasis is defined as the state of equilibrium that balances
that strong, competing family force. Family therapists strive to help families
achieve a balance between flexibility necessary for high functioning and the
excess of flexibility that leads to a chaotic family environment.
Lesson Four: Discuss the benefits and limits of an integrated
family-involved treatment approach.
Substance abuse Counselors fully understand the need and stresses of substance abusers,
and the family systems. The resources and insights of both fields together, will lead to a
more positive outcome then the resources of one field alone. Substance abuse and family
therapy can be integrated in a way that honors the basic precepts of both, and offers each
field the chance that a wider range of interventions will be more helpful to more people.
Lesson Five: Discuss special considerations for family-involved
therapy with ONE special population.
Older Adults – When dealing with an older adult who is a substance abuser a
life-long pattern has been set. The person is likely to be significantly impaired,
Life Transitions, a death of a spouse, and severe loneliness and isolation.
Diagnosis can be difficult in this age group, and often misdiagnosed is more
likely, because symptoms can be confused with age-related change. Family
members may hide the older adult’s substance or think it is harmless. Also the
prescription drug use is higher among older adults.
Treatment planning should include the following:
Remove barriers that could prevent a positive outcome
Address grief Issues
Involve medical staff
Family involvment
A continuing care plan that is motivational and supportive of Patient