Therapist's experience of working with non-referred siblings in family work

Section one - Literature Review: Understanding Clients’ Experience of Family Therapy: A Review of the Literature This section is a critical review of the available literature investigating how clients experience family therapy sessions. All the literature reviewed was qualitative and a number of themes could be seen across clients’ experiences. The quality of the research was judged using guidelines to which and indicated that there is a great degree of variability in the extent to which qualitative papers meet these guidelines. The clinical implications and future directions are discussed. Section two - Research Report Therapists’ Experiences of Working with Non-Referred Siblings In Family Sessions This study explores therapists’ experiences of working with non-referred siblings in family sessions and explores the processes which therapists have to manage when working with non referred siblings. Eight therapists were interviewed and these were analysed using Grounded Theory. The overarching theme that emerged from participants’ accounts was ‘a complex and demanding balancing act’. Four main themes were related to this, (1) barriers to working with siblings, (2) the benefits of involving siblings, (3) therapeutic tools and techniques and (4) change. These themes influenced the extent to which therapists felt able to involve siblings. The methodological limitations of the study were also discussed as were the implications of the research in clinical work and on future research. Section three - Critical Appraisal This is a reflective account on the research process and the learning which resulted from this.