How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching Families | Page 159

the family could be told that family therapy sessions will be discontinued and that developmental sessions
will begin (Wright & Watson, 1982). It is not that the nature of the work between the therapist and the
family changes, but rather that the context, or "name," of the work is made more palatable. With the family
described in the case example the nature OF our work was named research rather than therapy.
4. Commendation for family and individual strength
Following a recent analysis, by three observers, of 28 sessions we conducted with Tour families in a
hypertension project, one of the common themes identified was our routine practice of commending
families on particular strengths at the end of interviews. Feedback from both research observers and families
has made us cognizant that this practice involves more than just being courteous-it represents a significant
intervention that can alter family members' realities of themselves.
5. Split option.
We have found the split-opinion to be a most p