How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching Families | Page 215

7. Middle Sessions
Goals during middle sessions

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Develop and Monitor Engagement
Gather Information and Focus Discussion
Identify & Explore Beliefs
Work towards change at the level of beliefs and behaviours
Return to Objectives and Goals of Therapy

7.1 Develop engagement
The therapist should pay particular attention to developing a co-constructed therapeutic relationship. In
addition to attending to the three aspects of engagement from the initial meeting (supportive
environment/hearing from everyone/neutrality), attention should be paid to:
 Creating and offering choices about the process of therapy
 Resolving issues in the family-therapist-team system as they arise. This will require therapists to allow
sufficient time for team discussions pre and post sessions (Section 5.5), and time within sessions to
discuss the process of therapy with families and any concerns or questions they have in relation to this.
7.2 Gather Information & Focus Discussion
Information is still gathered by the therapist, but more of an emphasis should be paid to focusing this
discussion, so that issues and areas for discussion from the initial broad discussions may be looked at in
greater detail or from different perspectives. The therapist plays a role in developing this discussion to
develop themes and keep the discussion focused. Information may often focus on the following topics:
•
The presenting diff