Identify external motivators and collateral processes for the resistant client
Learn alignment strategies using Motivational Interviewing and Solution Focused Therapy
Practice the art of Crucial Conversations
Practice Parallel Processes
Identify Emotional Attunement
Practice Reflective Listening and Speaking
Identify Ways to Integrate these strategies into your practice
Care Advocacy for the client in treatment
2. Jeffrey J. Merrick, Esq.
Attorney / Interventionist
Hollywood, California
(949) 280-3603
jeffrey@attorneymerrick.com
Dr. Louise A. Stanger, Ed.D, LCSW, CIP
Interventionist, Author, Speaker
West Hollywood, California
(619) 507-1699
Allaboutinterventions.com
3. Objectives
Identify external motivators and collateral
processes for the resistant client
Learn alignment strategies using
Motivational Interviewing and Solution
Focused Therapy
Practice the art of Crucial Conversations
Practice Parallel Processes
Identify Emotional Attunement
Practice Reflective Listening and Speaking
Identify Ways to Integrate these strategies
into your practice
Care Advocacy for the client in treatment
11. Attributes of Healthy Families
( McMannis PHD & McMannis MSW)
Talking & Loving
Expressing Language
Adapting to Change
Sharing Time Together
Who’s in Charge
Balancing Closeness &
Difference
Accepting Difference
Seeing The Positive
Effective Problem
Solving
Parenting Together
12. Families with SA & MH
Are behavioral systems in which SA and MH-related behaviors have become the central
organizing structure
An identity is forged around this, family accommodates to the special needs of the
person with SA or MH behavior
Daily rituals reflect this new identity and can alter the balance that exists between
growth and regulation in the family
Families begin to count on a conscious or unconscious way of this new identity and are
somewhat resistant to change -- in other words SA is actually maintained by the family
Hence the introduction of change most often appears as emphasis on short term stability
at the expense of long term growth.
Family distortions
15. Family Fusion
Lack of personal space
Taking over-Controlling
Blurred Lines
Blaming
Power
Denying
Rescuing / Faulty Reasoning
Boundaries
Getaway Driving
Bailout
16. So What Type of Families Do You Encounter?
Agreeable Family –Does everything you
ask
The Invisible Family-always in the
background
The Questioner- calls all the time and
emails …
The Know it all-Knows everything about
everything
The Talker – Talks –Talks and Talks
The Complainer- Nothing is ever
good enough
The Worrier
The Micro-Manager
The Confuser-- says one thing does
completely the opposite.
Analysis / Paralysis
18. Families are Hurting / Experts (SFT)
1.Client is the expert about their own
life
2. Professionals adopt posture of not
knowing (easier said then done)!
19. Solution Focused Coaching
Not necessary to understand deeper
cause or meaning
Goals are defined by client, focusing on
the possible and changeable, honoring
client choice
Small change is often all that is possible
20. Families/Clients are experts
3. Counselor expertise is
called along the way.
4. Remember this is not
about you
5. Avoid one upmanship
21. Assumption: Families are Motivated
Probability of behavior change
or movement toward or against
goal
Extrinsic…….
Intrinsic ……
What are they motivated to do?
22. Braving- Trust- Brene’ Brown……..
B-Am I clear in helping client respect
their own boundaries?
R-Am I reliable did I do what I said I
was going to do?
A-Did I hold myself accountable
V -Did I respect confidentiality and
share
I- Did I act from integrity?
N did I ask for what I needed-Was I
nonjudgmental ?
G-Was I generous in my
interpretation of myself and others
23. Parallel Processes
Families must have opportunities to
grow alongside their loved one that is in
treatment
The Truth is all parents fail their
children …
The Task of growing is to find our own
ways of parenting ourselves
To Parent from a Place of Love
Krissy Pozatek. LICSW
24. Parallel Process
Letting Go of the reins
Emotional Attunement
Listening-Reflective
Learning how to speak
Shifting Responsibility Back to your loved
one
Separate but coordinated processes --
bringing in our clients’ motivators
25. Who Moved My Cheese? Traps to Avoid
Expert
Question- Answer
Labels
Taking sides
Blaming Others
Runaway Defense –
Healthy versus Unhealthy Help?
Know your boundaries
26. Intervention
Treatment Indicated / Client Unwilling
Client in Trouble / Loss of Control
Family Focus Higher/ Problem More Visible
Court Involvement / Assistance
Maximum Consequences / Leverage / External Motivators
In Custody / Threat of Custody / Return to Custody
Access to client over time / Single location
More Willingness / Freedom vs. Treatment
Needs Attorney, Bail, Etc.
Redefining Freedom
Fear – The Great Motivator
29. Assumptions To Avoid
Person OUGHT to change
Person WANTS to change
Persons health is prime
motivation factor
If she/he decides not to
change consultation is a
failure
Individuals are either
motivated to change or they
are not
Now is the right time to
consider change
A tough approach is
always the best
approach
I am the expert and
know best
I am right my child,
young adult , grown
child is wrong
A equalitarian approach
is always best
30. Strategies for Handing Resistance
Clarification
Shift focus away from
stumbling block
Emphasize Personal Choice
and Control
What Are The External
Motivators?
31. Crucial Conversations
Client is always right
Agree with clients goal, its about
choice
Use client’s language
Develop Compliments to support
change
32. Case Examples
I want to know everything that
is said in treatment
You are not responding to my
child’s needs
You call yourself a case
manager?
You can’t talk to me?
34. Bar Intervention
Substance Abuse- Alcohol & Other Drugs
Mental Health
Breast Cancer Survivor
Intergenerational Issues
Relational Attachment Issues
35. In The Law Office………….
Alice - 42
Alcohol Dependant
Divorce
Falls Asleep on Desk
Empty Bottles in Trash Can
Work Complaints
Security Complaints
Partner-Super Lawyer
38. King Baby
I am very important
and only can talk with
the CEO at least 3
times a day at my loved
one
39. Queen Baby
The problem is you, your treatment center
does not understand our daughter. She is
unique
My daughter must talk to me at least once
a day
My daughter demand s a special diet
My daughter wants her phone
What you need to know about my daughter
is …
You’re my lawyer – I hired you!
Oh no you don’t! That’s not the outcome I
like!
40. Family’s After Treatment –Heroic
Operate from a Place of Love
Shift Responsibility from bailing out
to responsible choice
Attunement
Individualization
Healthy Boundaries-enforce
consequences
Own Recovery
Talking care of themselves
Good physical health
Emotionally sound
Acting from ones values
43. Resources
The Daring Way- Raising Strong -Brene’ Brown
Crucial Conversations – Patterson etal
The Parallel Processes- Kathy Prozatek LICSW
The Journey of The Heroic Parent –Brad M Reedy PHD
If You Meet The Buddha On The Road-Kill Him- Sheldon Kopp
Motivational Interviewing- Miller and Rollnick
http://www.motivationalinterviewing.org
Solution Focused Therapy- Young and Berg
Dr Louise Stanger http://www.allaboutinterventions.com