Bridging Conversations: Discussing the Intra‐professional Relationship between Medical Family Therapy and Family Therapy

Abstract

This article examines the conceptual and practice relationship between medical family therapy (MedFT) and its parent field, family therapy, with MedFT viewed as the extension of relational sense‐making and understanding into a specific venue; that of medicine. The extension of this relational meaning system into medicine is typified by the ability of the therapist to negotiate and connect three main areas of conceptual difference that often account for conflictual relationships between mental and biomedical healthcare providers: (i) patient and provider conceptualizations of issues and goals, (ii) linear and circular understanding of issues and goals and (iii) consultative and expert positions on issues and goals. Two case examples are offered to describe how these three areas of tension are reconciled in practice.

Medical Family Therapy: A Theoretical and Empirical Review

“…Since 2000, there have been increased efforts to understand and study MedFT interventions. Researchers have reported perceived MedFT benefits in an inpatient psychiatric setting (Anderson et al 2008), as part of a diabetic treatment team (Robinson et al 2004), in primary care (Marlowe 2011), and in oncology settings (Harrington et al 2009;Sellers 2000), but more detail is needed on exactly what MedFT interventions were conducted that were effective. Through a clinical case study, Rosenberg et al (2008) illustrated the focus of MedFT sessions which included aiming to increase the patients' sense of agency, as well as facilitating and nurturing the relationship between the patient and the healthcare team.…”

“…With the relative youth of MedFT, it is understandable that controlling for years in formal training may be a challenge as there are few clinicians who have received a doctorate, post-doctorate, master's, or certificate in MedFT as compared to those who learned through experience in context. While several researchers have identified MedFT interventionists as being graduate level students (e.g., Anderson et al 2008;Davey et al 2008;Marlowe 2011;Robinson et al 2004;Rosenberg et al 2008) other researchers who have studied MedFT in action did not specify the background or type of training received (e.g., Harrington et al 2009;Sellers 2000). Efficacy research is needed to determine whether or not individuals who identify as medical family therapists who hold degrees in family therapy apply MedFT concepts and applications differently than those who do not, whether those who identify as medical family therapists and who have systems training yield different outcomes than those who do not, and whether or not MedFT produces results beyond treatment as usual.…”

“…According to some proponents of MedFT, it has grown from being a clinical orientation, or framework, to making unique contributions to the research literature and serving as the foundation for training programs, particularly family therapy (Edwards and Patterson 2003;Marlowe 2011;Tyndall et al 2010). The intention of this article is to review the literature where MedFT is mentioned by name and unveil its developmental trajectories for the research, training, and practice with this rapidly emerging sub-specialty.…”

Thematic review of family therapy journals in 2013

“…There was a special issue of the Journal of Family Therapy on family therapy in medical contexts with articles on medical family therapy (Marlowe, 2013), the possible contributions that the understanding of reflexivity in systemic thinking can make to medical practice (Ingrassia, 2013), family therapy and inpatient psychiatry Stanbridge et al 2013), and a social relational critique of the biomedical definition and treatment of ADHD (Wilson, 2013) with a commentary (Thapar et al 2013).…”

Clinical Training and Practice Patterns of Medical Family Therapists: A National Survey

“…The practice of Medical family therapy (MedFT) has grown steadily since its inception in the 1980s (Hodgson, Lamson, Mendenhall, & Tyndall, ; McDaniel, Hepworth, & Doherty, ; Ruddy & McDaniel, ). This evolution as a clinical framework and orientation in practice offers unique contributions to care professionals, especially family therapists (Marlowe, ; McDaniel, Doherty & Hepworth, ; Rolland, ). MedFT provides therapists with skills to treat a wide variety of problems in patients and families, while collaborating with other providers to develop comprehensive care plans.…”