There is an article in the Globe and Mail by Tralee Pearce about multi-family group therapy (MGFT). The idea is that people with mental illness respond better when the whole family is involved in therapy; that means all the people living in that home, and more than one family at a time take the therapy together.
The idea of group therapy is not new.
Trellis provides group care for families dealing with mental illness-the definition of family is anyone involved in the care of the one with mental illness. It is not whole family and it does not include the person with the illness, but many people find talking together helps them deal with their own circumstances.
Having the whole family together sounds to me like a great idea. According to those who practice MFGT this system is working well for young people with mental illness and allows for more openness from all the participants.
Mental illness does not exist in a vacuum and having the family together allows everyone to learn about the illness together and develop family coping mechanisms. What I love about many families coming together is the opportunity for those with mental illness to share stories, for parents to learn that their feelings are not unique; others have felt the same thing and felt helpless, too.
The Hospital for Sick Children uses this model for treating children with eating disorders. Hopefully the programme will expand. In the meantime, keep searching for support from places like Trellis and of course, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
