Family Therapy Substance Abuse

For this assignment, I focused primarily on family treatment as it relates to substance abuse. Upon doing extensive research on this topic, it became evident that the most common overall treatment for families dealing with substance issues is family therapy. This type of treatment, however, consists of many different models and approaches. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are currently four models being used as the basis for familial therapy and substance abuse treatment. Those four models include: the Family Systems Model, the Family Disease Model, Multi-Dimensional Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Addiction Family Therapy Models - Intervention Support, n.d.).
Treatment Philosophy While each
Research indicates that no single, communal definition of family exists. The meaning of family is completely dependent on different cultures and belief systems. Specifically, in regards to therapy, for practical purposes, most family treatment models allow family to be defined according to the individual’s closest emotional connections. In other words, the client is able to identify who they feel should be included in therapy (Substance abuse treatment and family therapy: A treatment improvement protocol,
Family therapy models and approaches aim to strengthen every member’s emotional health so the family can thrive. Providing support to family members can increase and promote long-term recovery. I believe some of the pros of family therapy include stronger relationships between family members, preventing other members from acquiring addictive behaviors, helping to create a healthy home environment, and helping family members heal from the destructive effects of addiction. Having said that, I think the main cons of family therapy are the potential cost of it, the lack of availability and research that surrounds the effectiveness of it, and the fact that it is ultimately up to the family how involved they want to be.
Role of the Social Worker The role of the social worker in family therapy is to conduct the sessions in a way that is sensitive to each family’s unique characteristics and situation. The clinician conducting family therapy for substance abuse must meet all professional requirements, including special training and skills. It is the job of the social worker to work with all members of the family to address the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors associated with the substance abuse problem (Family Therapy Can Help,