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Family therapy with Cahms. How much truth?

20 replies

Summerend · 26/08/2022 09:47

We’re starting family therapy with DS15 and I’m wondering how it works. I’m assuming it’s to help them express themselves and work out how we can change to make things better? Rather than asking how I feel etc? Not sure the truth there would be helpful.

background is self harm, anxiety and suicide attempt.

any advice from people who’ve experienced this? Desperately want a way forward that helps.

OP posts:
coffeeisthebest · 26/08/2022 10:03

You feel like you can't or shouldn't speak the truth about your own feelings? I think you raise a really valid point and perhaps you should take this question along to the next session. Your therapist will be able to respond better than any of us to this.

Summerend · 26/08/2022 10:06

Thanks for replying. It’s because it’s all of us together that I’m worried. If I say I don’t want to explain how I feel then DS will hear that if you see what I mean. This is the first session.

OP posts:
Rounddog · 26/08/2022 10:08

You definitely need to speak the truth but maybe not in front of your child. It is very likely that your situation contributes to his. That is said without judgement. I’ve been there. Be truthful in therapy or you won’t get the best results.

Summerend · 26/08/2022 10:15

Thank you. I suspect it does and I’m hoping the session will bring that out and plan what to change. I’ve read very enlightening threads here from children who had ‘perfect families on paper’ and actually that was the problem.

OP posts:
picklemewalnuts · 26/08/2022 10:15

You could say you worry about DS and don't want to say anything that might upset him. That you think your feelings are for you to manage as the adult. Ask them to explain how to manage that.

That's a really normal thing to say, and for him to hear.

Summerend · 26/08/2022 10:17

Pickle that’s a great suggestion. Explains it exactly.

OP posts:
Phineyj · 26/08/2022 10:21

Yeah, I can see how you feel. I had to describe DD's violent behaviour a couple of times on the phone in the first lockdown with her present (this is one of the issues with online phone consults at random times - what I'd actually booked was an in person consultation with DH present precisely so I could do the awkward bit without her in the room!)

Bottom line - this is a very common issue and if the therapist is any good she will have solutions (the most obvious being speaking to you one to one for part of the time).

Bonheurdupasse · 26/08/2022 10:22

@Phineyj how did that go? How did your DD react?

Lollywillowes · 26/08/2022 10:36

This might not be your experience OP but from what I've learned and own experience a long time ago here and across the pond, family therapy is really helpful but it can be also really tough.

The focus should not just be on "the problem" individual, but the whole family. Family dynamics are complex and everyone plays roles and has a part in them. So, how you feel and your experience will need to be aired. Family therapy looks at these dynamics and also encourages you to look at how you enable certain roles as well as appreciating how others feel.

Remember it's a safe space and if you've got a skilled therapist, they should be able to contain and manage the work as well as navigating you all towards a better understanding of your own special family.

Good luck OP.

Haggisfish3 · 26/08/2022 10:40

I’m going to sound a note of caution and say ime as a parent and a professional, cahms have been less than helpful, in some cases actively damaging.

CaroHart · 26/08/2022 10:40

Your family therapist will guide you in this. Her aim will be to keep you all safe in the room, and she will direct her questions accordingly. However, the best thing for you is to commit fully to truthfulness. If your son is 15, none of what he hears will be unknown to him, even if it's not explicitly expressed before this. Even more importantly, though, will be for you to commit fully to really listening to what he's saying. In family therapy there is usually an "identified problem" or "identified patient" who is seen as the trouble with the family. However, they are usually the ones who are expressing, in one way or another, an important truth about the underlying family dynamic, and need to be very clearly heard.
Try not to be afraid of this. Whatever happens, the truth is always better than a lie, and if you can accept it, it can transform your family, your relationships and your life.
I wish you the best outcome for the whole family.

thatsjusttheticket · 26/08/2022 10:43

I found it very difficult as I didn't feel I could be completely honest in front of my DC for fear of upsetting them and making the behaviours worse. The CAMHS therapist we had was really understanding and we had many many phone calls where I could be completely open. I answered her questions openly in the sessions, but at least she had a full understanding of the situation at home to work with

Phineyj · 26/08/2022 10:49

Not well, OP! But she was 7 at the time. We had to do a LOT of things she was unhappy about in 2020.

Wilkolampshade · 26/08/2022 11:01

Sorry to hear you've all been having such a difficult time OP. We have had very similar. I'll gladly tell you of our experiences, but please understand that yours may well be better and hopefully more useful.

So we felt from the start they had some kind of narrative set up for us. The counsellors (there were always two, don't know if that's normal) did that 'leaving huge silences' style of therapy, which I think is to give space for us/DD to speak but actually just felt horrifically awkward for all of us, especially her. We also had to do that sitting in a circle thing which we all hate too. I know it's meant to democratise things but it felt really uncomfortable particularly for DD who finds that kind of forced proximity confrontational, resulting in her becoming singularly uncooperative. When DH was genuinely unable to attend a couple of sessions - (he literally worked 300 miles away at the time and had moved mountains and turned work down to make all the others) one of the staff audibly tutted and exchanged knowing glances with the other. I think the final straw was one of them, the tutting one, bringing her desk diary in - it's cover illustrating the crucifixion in silhouette, setting sun behind, and quotes from proverbs in bold across the front. Sounds picky maybe but this has no place in what should be a neutral environment.

In short, they were judgy as hell. And one at least, hopelessly unprofessional. I hope to goodness she's not working in the field still.

In the end, CAMHS rolled DD's therapy sessions over, or rather, she was taken on by a clinical lead as there was no one else available. She wasn't a trained therapist but seemed much better at getting DD to talk and had a few things in common with DD which helped hugely with communication.

Years on, DD still has her struggles every now and then. But also, is now a student, living in a flat with her best friend, doing really well at college and holding down a part time job. She takes meds, and has done for 5 or so years, which she says help. Also, she is recently diagnosed with ADHD (she's now 20) which explains so, so much, and is awaiting the assessment to go back to her GP who will discuss options.

There is a future OP, and every bit of work you do for her, be it family therapy, the well timed cup of tea, the 'biting your tongue' when you really want to jump in and say something, all those little efforts give you more and more scaffolding to support her. We had times where I couldn't seem to make anything work, make any progress, do anything right. Desperate times. About days like those a friend told me, 'if all you can do is keep breathing, keep breathing. Breathing is good. '

Good luck. Xxx

Summerend · 26/08/2022 11:11

Gosh Wilko that brought tears to my eyes. It’s the endless hard days that are so tough. 💐

OP posts:
Wilkolampshade · 26/08/2022 11:12

Oh and the truth thing? No, that wouldn't have been helpful at the time... not that anyone asked me! Things were much too raw and she was much too actively ill. It's only now, a few years on, that I've started to move ever so carefully towards expressing how I felt at the time and tbh, I'd rather take that to the grave than risk setting her back to where she was. She's an empathetic individual, she'll know.

Summerend · 26/08/2022 11:15

I’m in that camp- feel like I could never truly say what this feels like without making a terrible situation worse.

OP posts:
Rounddog · 26/08/2022 11:21

Wilkolampshade · 26/08/2022 11:01

Sorry to hear you've all been having such a difficult time OP. We have had very similar. I'll gladly tell you of our experiences, but please understand that yours may well be better and hopefully more useful.

So we felt from the start they had some kind of narrative set up for us. The counsellors (there were always two, don't know if that's normal) did that 'leaving huge silences' style of therapy, which I think is to give space for us/DD to speak but actually just felt horrifically awkward for all of us, especially her. We also had to do that sitting in a circle thing which we all hate too. I know it's meant to democratise things but it felt really uncomfortable particularly for DD who finds that kind of forced proximity confrontational, resulting in her becoming singularly uncooperative. When DH was genuinely unable to attend a couple of sessions - (he literally worked 300 miles away at the time and had moved mountains and turned work down to make all the others) one of the staff audibly tutted and exchanged knowing glances with the other. I think the final straw was one of them, the tutting one, bringing her desk diary in - it's cover illustrating the crucifixion in silhouette, setting sun behind, and quotes from proverbs in bold across the front. Sounds picky maybe but this has no place in what should be a neutral environment.

In short, they were judgy as hell. And one at least, hopelessly unprofessional. I hope to goodness she's not working in the field still.

In the end, CAMHS rolled DD's therapy sessions over, or rather, she was taken on by a clinical lead as there was no one else available. She wasn't a trained therapist but seemed much better at getting DD to talk and had a few things in common with DD which helped hugely with communication.

Years on, DD still has her struggles every now and then. But also, is now a student, living in a flat with her best friend, doing really well at college and holding down a part time job. She takes meds, and has done for 5 or so years, which she says help. Also, she is recently diagnosed with ADHD (she's now 20) which explains so, so much, and is awaiting the assessment to go back to her GP who will discuss options.

There is a future OP, and every bit of work you do for her, be it family therapy, the well timed cup of tea, the 'biting your tongue' when you really want to jump in and say something, all those little efforts give you more and more scaffolding to support her. We had times where I couldn't seem to make anything work, make any progress, do anything right. Desperate times. About days like those a friend told me, 'if all you can do is keep breathing, keep breathing. Breathing is good. '

Good luck. Xxx

That is such an important post. There is such a thing as bad therapists. My current guy is a great fit for me other, others I had were not as good but still good, others have no place being therapists. Same as any profession. This is really really important for your family, make sure the therapist is a good fit.

Wilkolampshade · 26/08/2022 11:25

Sounds like you're right in the thick of it OP. It's such a struggle to get help, things have to get so bad, that when you finally get the therapy/meds/whatever it feels like surely, SURELY now the end must be in sight but really, this is just the very beginning.

Look. Other PP's have found opening up fully in sessions to be useful and they may well be right. It honestly wasn't how my sessions were directed so I'll never know for sure if I should have. You could try ringing CAMHS and explaining to the recep' that you have this query and could the therapist ring you about it?

Keep breathing love. Xx

coffeeisthebest · 26/08/2022 13:36

Summerend · 26/08/2022 11:15

I’m in that camp- feel like I could never truly say what this feels like without making a terrible situation worse.

Ah ok, I see what you mean. I think if my family had attempted family therapy (which I can't imagine would have happened in a million years so I think you are all brilliant for giving it a go!) then I would have wanted to hear my parents being as honest as they could be. I felt a lot anyway, we just didn't talk about it, which is maybe where the problems lay. Perhaps start by chatting with the therapist outside of the session and then see where it goes.

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