Group Services - Multi-Family Support
(See our other Group Services)
Recipient of Service:
This service is primarily directed towards the residents and families of Casa Youth Shelter and is considered to be a mandatory activity.
Schedule:
This group is provided at Casa Youth Shelter on Wednesdays between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Provider:
Traditionally, this group is facilitated by two Staff Counselors, one serving as primary group facilitator and the other Counselor serving as back-up.
Provider Qualifications:
Minimum qualifications of Staff Counselors include enrollment in a graduate studies program leading to a degree of Masters in psychology, counseling, social work or a closely related field. Many Staff Counselors exceed the minimum qualifications by possession of a Masters Degree and State of California registration as a Marriage Family Child Counselor Intern or are California Licensed as a Marriage Family Child Counselor.
Description of Service:
Casa Multi-Family Support Group (MFG) is a weekly group of parents and Casa residents or parents and former Casa residents participating actively in aftercare services. The group will combine the power of group process with the systems focus of family therapy. MFG is ideally suited to working with families facing similar problems i.e., chemical dependence, domestic violence, sexual abuse, having a child in out-of-home placement, etc.
MFG is an essential element in their overall Casa care or treatment program rather than an adjunctive service for family members. Based upon this families are involved and expectations for their participation in MFG are set from the beginning of contact with the family or identified patient. The earlier in care the family is recruited the better the likelihood of their agreement to participation in MFG.
When speaking with families on intake it is stressed that involvement is essential to maximize the chances for successful treatment or care for their child. When families are not involved treatment or care is less successful. Also stressed is that everyone's input is needed in order to get a clearer idea of the problem(s).
Goals of Service:
MFG is more powerful, supportive and empowering than single family therapy. A multi-family group offers curative factors usually not present, or not present as strongly in single family therapy:
1. universality - in a group the family learns that they are not alone, other families have similar problems and concerns;
2. hope - the group can give families hope as they see other families learn, change and grow and as they receive support and encouragement from other families;
3. empowerment - as families find themselves able to care for and help other families, they increase their own sense of competence and power;
4. support/acceptance - the group becomes a support network where families can feel accepted just as they are - flawed just like all families - and friendships develop between families that continue outside of and beyond the group;
5. imitation learning - families learn through identification with other families and through modeling behaviors observed in other families;
6. experimentation - the group becomes a safe place to experiment with, practice and get feedback on new skills and ways of relating before using them in real life; and
7. increased commitment to change - by attending and involving themselves in group families are publicly committing themselves to change and exposing themselves to subtle social pressures and personal dissonance pressures that encourage change.
Also see:
• Anger Management / Assertion Training
• Domestic Violence Education
• Domestic Violence Process
• Teen Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families (ACA)
• Multi-Family Support
• S.T.A.R. Program
• Art Therapy
• Parenting Program
• Teens, Families & Drugs
• Issues of Abuse
• Respect & Responsibility
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