How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching Families | Page 211
Post-session
Review of main interventions and family’s response
Ideas for future sessions, themes/issues to follow up,
E.g. narrative prompts, unexplored areas, facts to check
Feedback to therapist of team observations
Therapist’s reflections on issues evoked for them by the session
Review of important information shared, e.g. life events, elements of genogram
5.6 Correspondence
Letters should be used throughout therapy to maintain contact with the family system and the wider
network, as illustrated in this manual. Appendices I, III, IV, V. Throughout this contact, the team’s writing
of the letters should always consider the guiding principles outlined in Section 2. Particularly important are
issues of connecting with the whole system and not locating pathology within individuals. Particular
attention to the language used will be important so that correspondence can be both easily understood, and
reflect the contributions of the family to therapy.
5.7 Case notes
All written records should be non-pejorative, legible, dated, signed, with no abbreviations. Alterations and
Corrections should be clearly marked and signed.
Case notes should include:
Family information sheet
Genogram
Referral information/letter
All other written communications to and from the centre
Record of attendance
Sessions notes
Notes on telephone contacts to and from the centre
5.8 Session notes
The therapy team should make session notes for each meeting between the therapist and family/wider
system. In this way case notes form an observational record of the process of therapy.
Session notes should include :
Date and number of session
Who attended therapy
Therapist/Team member names
Main themes of the session – including key language used by family
Team observations – clearly labelled as impressions
Record of interventions
Key points/ideas/decisions to follow up in later sessions
Team members should record session notes on the record form provided. Appendix VI
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