‘Riding the Wave’: Working Systemically with Traumatised Families

McIlwaine, Fiona; O'Sullivan, Kerry

doi:10.1002/anzf.1114

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Nonetheless, the therapist’s personal journey of revisiting her own childhood struggles in therapy and her identity as a mother, also guide her when working with the parents. The importance of the therapist’s self-reflection to guide therapeutic intention and decision-making aligns to the work of McIlwaine and O’Sullivan ( 2015 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…She is aware of their intergenerational vulnerabilities and seeks to nurture their inner child. This helps to facilitate the development of empathy (McIlwaine & O’Sullivan, 2015 ) and it also consolidates her relationship with them. For instance, the father said that he appreciated that the therapist did not dismiss his experience of likening his son’s personality to that of his father.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Therapeutic Alliance with Parents and their Children Working Through a Relational Trauma in the Family

Gilson

Abela

2021

Contemp Fam Ther

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This study is about how a therapeutic alliance is created and maintained with parents and their children working through a relational trauma. A case study design with narrative analysis as a method of research (Riessman, 2008) and a narrative approach of storying stories, inspired by McCormack (2000), is used. The participants of this study are the parents and their four children, aged between 14 and 5 years, and their systemic therapist. Rich data on the therapeutic alliance is gathered through, two live-family session observations and seven interviews, six of which were with the family members, and a two-part interview held with their therapist. Results show that the way of being of the therapist, including her ability to be intuitive and self-reflexive, and her ability to keep manoeuvrability in conversation and hold neutrality support her to connect with all the family. Creating conjoint and separate therapeutic spaces, using a creative play-based approach and navigating an alliance with the school and medical professionals, were important suggestions for practice in the field. Additionally, collaborating with parents, and balancing the benefits and drawbacks of involving children to make therapy meaningful for all, are also suggested. Specific recommendations for engagement with siblings of the identified-problem child are elicited. The strength of this study is that children’s voices, along with those of their parents’ and their systemic therapist are reported. Suggestions for practice to support children and their families who are working through a relational trauma are brought forward.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Therapeutic Alliance with Parents and their Children Working Through a Relational Trauma in the Family

Gilson

Abela

2021

Contemp Fam Ther

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“…McIlwaine & O'Sullivan offer an analysis, and a number of poignant vignettes that illustrate, the importance of establishing connectedness between participants in work in and around trauma [37]. Building connection, these authors contend, is not work which is achievable if it centres on the primary client alone.…”

Section: The Role Of Connectedness In the Recovery Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

Containing Trauma: Protecting a Vital Construct from Overuse and Isolation

2020

IJP

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Trauma has become a central concern in therapeutic and mental health practice. Using Australia as a specific site, this paper examines complications that are emerging in relation to this status. Initially, two general concerns are detailed: first, that trauma presents a changing phenomenology across time and place, and, second, that expansive diagnostic practices may be leading to excessive case-finding. Three major risks are then identified: (i) in certain circumstances a diagnosis of trauma can be disabling; (ii) narrowly technical approaches to treatment can discount the ethical context of trauma, and (iii) the importance of building the client’s capacity for trust and connectedness can be mislaid if an overly individualistic vision of treatment and recovery is adopted. Unless an exclusive focus on ‘the individual’ is contested, and ethical and contextual dimensions are acknowledged, it is argued the above difficulties will tend to compromise how trauma is theorized and treated.

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“…Families tend to move together as a group, even if they are separated at onset (Borjas & Borjas, 1991). And interpersonal relationships are critical to coping with the aftermath of displacement (McIlwaine & O'Sullivan, 2015).…”

Section: War and Displacement: Impact On Family And Communitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of Syrian Asylum‐Seekers and Refugees in the United States

Utržan

Wieling

2018

Family Process

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Violence in Syria has displaced an unprecedented number of people from their homes. While couple/family therapy (C/MFT) scholars have explored migration experiences, particularly among refugees, there is still limited research using a bioecological framework. This exploratory study examined the experiences of Syrian asylum‐seekers and refugees living in the United States using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Twelve Syrians (n = 8 men, n = 4 women) between 20 and 52 years of age (M = 35.8, SD = 10.7) were interviewed about their experiences across three stages of resettlement: (1) pre‐resettlement, (2) resettlement/migration, and (3) post‐resettlement. Findings suggest that the effects of conflict‐induced displacement and resettlement permeate across multiple ecologies. These range from the individual and his or her interpersonal relationships to their larger community and society. C/MFTs should account for contextual factors while becoming familiar with the sociopolitical impact of displacement and resettlement in their clinical work with this population.

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‘Riding the Wave’: Working Systemically with Traumatised Families

Cited by 15 publications

References 15 publications

The Therapeutic Alliance with Parents and their Children Working Through a Relational Trauma in the Family

The Therapeutic Alliance with Parents and their Children Working Through a Relational Trauma in the Family

Containing Trauma: Protecting a Vital Construct from Overuse and Isolation

A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of Syrian Asylum‐Seekers and Refugees in the United States

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