Helping families to be healthy physically, emotionally, and socially through Family Group Therapy

As Family Doctors, when is it ideal for us to use the Family Group Therapy approach (MBS item no. 170,171,172)?

1. When the family is in trouble with chronic fight or flight responses.

2. When the parents are in a fight or flight mode with each other, the family, and the people around them.

3. When the children are in fight or flight mode with each other, the parents, the family, and the people around them.

If the “collective chronic fight or flight responses” are not resolved, this may lead to poor psychological health, poor physical health, poor social/relational health, and more experiential avoidance through emotional eating, smoking, drinking, drugs, and technology to name a few. This will then lead to more biopsychosocial health issues.

Early intervention for the family may prevent a lot of emotional, social, and physical problems down the track.