Experiences of a Reflecting Team in Family Work

Literature Review:

A systematic review of 11 research papers explored the experiences of clients and therapists using a reflecting team in family therapy. The findings of these studies were synthesised using meta-ethnography. Three themes were identified which explored the experience of reflecting teams; unusual and strange; unique conversations and therapeutic environment. These themes highlighted that the process of using a team was different to what was expected, but that it could be helpful when people were made to feel safe and understood. It suggested that reflecting teams are an effective and helpful approach within family and couples therapy. Extra considerations should be taken to ensure that clients feel able to engage with the process, avoiding it from becoming overwhelming and unhelpful.

Research Report: As child and adolescent mental health services often provide family therapy to teenagers and their families, this research aimed to explore their experiences of the team. Four young people aged between 12 to 18 were recruited from a family therapy service. They took part in semi structured interviews which were then subject to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three themes were identified relating to Feeling exposed, Process of Change and Ambivalence. The presence of the team and mirror was uncomfortable but did allow a change for young people voices to be heard. The process of change included factors recognised by young people, such as the presence of the team themselves, how they brought differences together. Ambivalence about making changes was related to their perspective of who was responsible to change, and how they were motivated to do things differently.