What is Family Intervention?
If someone in your family has a psychotic illness, it can be stressful and put a strain on everyone’s
relationship. You probably feel like you need some support and that’s where Family Intervention
can help.
It’s been widely researched and found to be very effective. Mental health professionals will be
there for your family – offering advice, guidance and practical ways to improve the situation at
home. They’ll also help relieve some of the tension and show you how to work together, so your
whole family has a much more positive outlook.
Although it is called ‘Family Intervention’, we offer this service to relatives, carers or friends who
are regularly in touch with someone who has a psychotic illness.
What happens in Family
Intervention?
We understand that every family is different, so we tailor our support to exactly fit your needs.
To do this we’ll need to get an insight into how your family works. This will help identify what difficulties
you are having and then together, we can look at practical ways to help you overcome them.
This could take the form of learning more about the symptoms and improving communication among
family members. It helps everyone understand what is happening so everyone feels more included
and more able to help and support each other. We’ll also build on your family’s existing strengths.
It’ll enable you to cope better and help you to solve problems together. We’ll also encourage you
to think positively, which can have a dramatic effect on the atmosphere of your household.
For the family member suffering with the illness, we can help them become more independent.
This not only improves their wellbeing, it can also reduce the pressure on the rest of the family.
We’ll also design a ‘Staying Well Plan’ to help that person stay healthy and reduce the risk of relapse.
It also helps people have a choice over what type of treatment they feel will help them the most.
The duration of this type of support depends on your needs. It can be anything from a
minimum of three months to over two years. It takes place in your home, with mental
health professionals qualified in Family Intervention visiting you for about an
hour every fortnight, usually on Tuesdays.
What can Family
Intervention help?
This type of service provides effective support for any family where one or more members
are suffering from psychotic illnesses such as:
• Schizophrenia • Psychosis • B
ipolar affective disorder (manic depression)
It can also help people who are experiencing symptoms of psychosis for the first time
or have had symptoms for many years.
Want to find out more?
Many people have benefited by becoming a member of a support group, here is a list of a few:
‘MDF the Bipolar
organisation’: a national
user-led organisation
‘MIND’: a national
organisation providing
help for everyone
‘Making Space’: a national
organisation providing advice
and guidance for all ages
www.mdf.org.uk
www.mind.org.uk
www.makingspace.co.uk
‘Rethink’: a national
organisation supporting
all types of people
‘Get Help Early’: a Canadian
site for young people
with psychosis
www.rethink.org
www.gethelpearly.ca
Other websites
www.direct.gov.uk/en/caringforsomeone
www.carers.org.uk
www.nhs.uk
www.nice.org.uk
If you have any queries please telephone us, we are here to help.
Family Intervention Service, Hahnemann House, Hahnemann Road, Bournemouth BH2 5JW
Telephone: 01202 584488
General enquiries
Dorset HealthCare NHS Foundation Trust, 11 Shelley Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH1 4JQ
Telephone: 0800 587 4997
Email: [email protected]
The information in this leaflet is available in additional languages and alternative formats.
Please contact the Trust for further details.
www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk
© Dorset HealthCare NHS Foundation Trust All rights reserved.
Not to be reproduced in whole or in part without
the permission of the copyright owner.
Produced: May 2009 L/130/09