Medical Family Therapy and Research Project Grant uri icon

abstract

  • History of MedFT ECU has the only MedFT program in the country, although MedFT as a sub-discipline of marriage and family therapy has been growing rapidly since the 1980s. MedFT extends a biopsychosocial-spiritual systems approach to psychotherapy with patients and families experiencing a physical/mental illness/diagnosis, trauma or disability. Close attention is paid to the role that medical diagnoses plays in the patient's emotional life and in the family system's interpersonal dynamics, as well as, the interpersonal dynamics of patient and provider. MedFT operates from a model where patient centered goals are generated and objectives are collaboratively written with the patient, their family/support system, and the healthcare treatment team. Collaboration and integration between therapists and other healthcare providers is a centerpiece of the approach. Specific elements of MedFT include enhanced daily functioning for the patient and family, improved coping with chronic and acute symptoms, decreased conflict about treatment, improved communication with healthcare providers, increased acceptance of a health problem, addressing barriers to treatment compliance and increased ability to make necessary lifestyle changes. The overarching goals of MedFT are to increase the patient and family?s sense of effectiveness in managing the diagnosis and other aspects of their lives and to decrease social isolation, which has significant health consequences both ill terms of onset of disease and ill treatment. Collaboration among providers is an anchor for its success. Mission of MedFT The mission for doctoral students in Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) is "to advance students' learning in the areas of research, theory, clinical practice, leadership, supervision, and teaching in order to prepare and qualify them to pursue employment as researchers, educators, administrators, and/or clinicians in the field of medical family therapy." The overall goal is to prepare students to be well grounded in a biopsychosocial-spiritual and systems perspective with an application to clinical practice and research. Objectives or the MedFT student includes the following: 1. Understand the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of medical family therapy through the use of the biopsychosocial-spiritual, systemic, and biomedical paradigms in a substance abuse rehabilitation context, specifically for women who are pregnant or post partum women who are currently in inpatient substance abuse treatment. 2. Conduct research studies using the biopsychosocial-spiritual model and/or the collaborative practice styles on conditions of illness, wellness, and/or healthcare management specifically related to women who are pregnant or post partum women who are currently in inpatient substance abuse treatment. 3. Advance one's understanding of diversity issues (e.g., gender, age, socioeconomic status, culture/race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, spirituality, and religion) specifically related to women who are pregnant or post partum women who are currently in inpatient substance abuse treatment. Method: The Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) provider will complete comprehensive screenings and assessments for patients seeking family services. The MedFT provider will provide enhanced family therapy services parenting education for women who are pregnant or post partum women who are currently in inpatient substance abuse treatment. The individual will provide family, group and individual therapy. The individual will participate and be a member of the patient's interdisciplinary treatment team. As part of the interdisciplinary team this position may assist with aftercare planning that will effectively connect patients with larger family care systems in the community post discharge. This position may work with the Division of Social Services to assist in the reunificatio

date/time interval

  • June 2007 - June 2009