Psychosis and multiple family group therapy

Despite the growing evidence base for the effectiveness of family intervention in the treatment of individuals suffering from a psychotic disorder, in practice only relatively few mental health teams use family approaches when treating and managing those with schizophrenia or other psychoses. This paper describes a pragmatic model, which may be used in addition to other ongoing treatments, such as medication, CBT or single family therapy. It was developed jointly by clinicians and service users over the past few years. It consists of regular multiple family group work, with six to eight families attending simultaneously, and aims to involve families directly in the treatment, rehabilitation and recovery of their members suffering from psychotic disorder.