MIRECC / CoE
Behavioral Family Therapy for Serious Psychiatric Disorders Instructional Set
Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT) for Serious Psychiatric Disorders is a manualized, evidence-based intervention for people dealing with serious psychiatric illnesses involving psychosis or severe disability. BFT emphasizes strengthening a Veteran’s family support system through family psychoeducation, communication skills training, and problem-solving training. The content of this instructional set is based on the individual behavioral family therapy model described by Mueser and Glynn (1999) in the 2nd edition of Behavioral Family Therapy for Psychiatric Disorders.
This instructional set includes 3 DVDs and a CD. Disc 1 provides an overview of BFT and covers how to: 1) initiate contact with the family and motivate them to participate, 2) conduct the orientation session, and 3) do initial and ongoing assessments in BFT. Disc 2 provides an overview of the psychoeducation sessions and covers the specific content of these sessions (basic facts about the disorder, the stress-vulnerability model, medication, early warning signs of relapse, and the caregiver’s guide). Family meetings and homework assignments are also discussed. Disc 3 covers communication skills training, problem-solving training, special problems, and termination. Two case examples depicting the core components and clinical skills of BFT are presented throughout each disc.
The CD includes: lecture notes covering the material presented, handouts on engaging Veterans and their family members, assessment tools, and handouts to use in the psychoeducation, communication skills training and problem-solving training components of BFT.
Running Time: 4 Hrs. 20 Min.; Subtitled for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
For more information about this program, contact:
Noosha Niv, PhD
Director, VISN 22 MIRECC Education and Dissemination Unit
VA Long Beach Healthcare System
(323) 825-1328
noosha.niv@va.gov
