Seeing Ourselves as Others See Us: Using Video Feedback in Family Therapy

Abstract

Video recordings have been used for many years in family therapy for supervisory or therapist review purposes, but have usually had little direct relevance for clients. This article describes how video recordings can be used jointly by therapist and family to discuss episodes and themes in the sessions, rather like the current use of reflecting teams. The danger of the abuse of power in video feedback is also discussed — a danger which is present in all forms of therapy, however ‘user friendly’ they aim to be.

The Reflective Model of Triadic Supervision: Defining an Emerging Modality

“…(For a detailed description of these teams' and individuals' influence on Tom Andersen's conception of reflecting teams, please see Andersen,1987. ) Use of reflecting teams has varied across settings (mental health settings [e.g., Eubanks, 2002;Lax, 1989;Shilts, Rudes, & Madigan, 1993], medical facilities [e.g., Griffith, Griffith, & Slovik, 1990;Seikkula et al, 1995;Watson, & Lee, 1993], schools [e.g., Swim, 1995], and counselor training [e.g., Cox, Bañez, & Hawley, 2003;Landis & Young, 1994]) and clinical issues (family violence [e.g., Kjellberg, Edwardsson, Niemela, & Oberg, 1995;Robinson, 1994], substance abuse [e.g., Lussardi & Miller, 1993;Nevels, 1997], psychosis [e.g., Seikkula et al, 1995], and couple and family conflict [e.g., Caesar, 1993;Reimers, 2001]). Reflecting teams appear to be quite commonplace within family and couple counseling/therapy and training contexts.…”

“…Hearing feedback with no obligation to speak to the feedback has allowed supervisees to experience "an overall increase in their self awareness." As with so much of the research on reflecting teams (Reimers, 2001;Smith et al, 1994;Smith, Winton, & Yoshioka, 1992), supervisees enjoy hearing "multiple perspectives" as if "they have two supervisors. "…”

Review of the Reflecting Team Process: Strengths, Challenges, and Clinical Implications

“…Likewise, the possibility of dominance and the family feeling imposed on requires special consideration. Although researchers argue that clients felt less intimidated when the team did not remain behind the one-way mirror, some authors believe that regardless of the location of the team, the reflecting process falls short of the openness on which the model was based (Reimers, 2001). Preparing clients for what they may encounter, the process that will occur, and the benefits that could arise from this form of therapy may need to be included as part of the overall model.…”