Citation

Levy S, Mason S, Russon J, Diamond G. J. Marital Fam. Ther. 2021; 47(2): 440-454.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jmft.12509

PMID

33749898

PMCID

PMC8251076

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed so many aspects of our lives. For psychotherapists, telehealth is likely a permanent part of the future mental health landscape. For family therapists using a manualized treatment, this brings unique challenges and creative opportunities. In this article, we describe the adaptation of attachment-based family therapy (ABFT) in the context of telehealth and COVID-19. ABFT is an empirically supported treatment model designed for adolescents and young adults struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and suicide. ABFT is a semi-structured, process-oriented, and trauma-informed family therapy model which presents its own unique challenges and benefits in telehealth environments. We present our adaptations based on years of telehealth clinical experience and address how this model supports the impact of COVID-19 on families.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Female; Male; Adolescent; COVID-19; Young Adult; Models, Psychological; telehealth; Professional-Family Relations; Object Attachment; Family Therapy; ABFT; Couples Therapy; Telerehabilitation