A Model for Reintegrating Couples and Family Therapy Training in Psychiatric Residency Programs

Abstract

The authors propose a family-systems training model for general residency training programs in psychiatry based on the couples and family therapy training program in Stanford's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. The authors review key elements in couples and family therapy training. Examples are drawn from the family therapy training curriculum in a general psychiatric residency program. Conceptual and practical skills taught over the span of a psychiatric residency training program are described, focusing on: joining with the couple or family; seeing systemic patterns, recognizing the family's developmental stage, history, and culture; identifying family structure; and intervening systemically. This family-systems training model can serve as a resource for residency programs interested in integrating the couples and family therapy model more fully into their curricula.