ILLNESS & THE FAMILY SYSTEM

Intervention for Families of Chronically Ill Adults

Location

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Offices

8111 North Stadium Drive, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77054

713-526-8967

Individual Registration ($135 each), press here.

To Register Groups of 3 or more ($115 each), press here.

(FEE INCLUDES LUNCH)

SCHEDULE:

  8:00 -  8:30      Sign-in & Coffee

 8:30 - 10:00      Loss & Adaptation: A family perspective

10:00 -10:15      BREAK (Refreshments)

10:15 -11:45      “Psychosomatic Families”: Why some fail to adapt

11:45 -12:00      BREAK

12:00 -  1:00      LUNCH LECTURE (Bag lunch provided):

                           A Caregiver Provides a Map to Success

  1:00 -  2:15      Illness and the Couple:

                            Stigma, disclosure and intimacy

                            Dependency and co-dependency

  2:15 -  2:30      BREAK (Refreshments)

  2:30 -  3:30      Working with the Family:

   An Integrative Ecosystemic Approach

  3:30 -  4:15      Case Exercises & Discussion

TOPICS TO BE COVERED:

 ü      Loss and grief experienced by family members

ü      Traits that make some families more adaptive than others

ü      The effects of changing roles on the family

ü      How the stigma of illness transfers to family members

ü      How illness effects intimacy and openness in couples

ü      Physical dependency and its challenges to family relations

ü      Co-dependency and its impact on illness behavior

ü      The challenge of caring for chronically ill parents

ü      Caregiver health issues

ü      Characteristics of successful caregivers

ü      Legal and ethical considerations in working with families

ü      Intervention from an integrative systems perspective

ü      When and how to bring the family into the treatment

WHO SHOULD ATTEND  

·         Psychotherapists (psychologists, social workers, counselors)

·         Those working in medical settings, hospice or pastoral care

·        Those working in rehabilitation programs

·        Those working in nursing home or assisted living centers

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:

After attending ILLNESS & THE FAMILY SYSTEM you will

be able to:

1.       Understand the ways in which illness constitutes a loss and leads to a process of adaptation in families

2.       Recognize the traits of families who do not adapt well

3.       Identify issues of stigma and disclosure and their potential impact on family members

4.       List three common “dances” of co-dependency in illness

5.      Clarify family-oriented goals in treating medical patients

INSTRUCTOR:   Roberta M. Diddel, Ph.D.

Roberta Diddel is a practicing health psychologist in Houston, specializing in the treatment of patients with chronic illness.  She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Boston University and has over 25 years of practical experience in using psychological interventions with medical patients.  She is a Lecturer in the Psychology Department at Rice University, where she teaches courses in clinical psychology, family systems and behavioral medicine. She has published and presented papers on living with chronic pain and disability and is an accredited Trainer in the American Psychological Association’s HIV Office of Psychology Education.  She also serves on the Clinical Advisory Committee of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Lone Star Chapter. She is the Director of Psychology Works, Center for Continuing Education in Health Psychology. Dr. Diddel is a frequent presenter of Continuing Education for mental health professionals and has also taught courses and presented workshops in the Continuing Studies Department at Rice University and at The Women’s Institute in Houston.  She has a relaxed style, employing humor, using personal stories and case examples, and encouraging participants to explore and share their own experiences in practice.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS – 7 Hours

Licensed Counselors (LPC’s):  7 hours.  Psychology Works is recognized by the National Board for Certified Counselors to offer continuing education for LPC’s, Provider #5880.

Psychologists: 7 hours.  Psychology Works is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to provide continuing education for Psychologists.  Psychology Works maintains responsibility for the program.

Social Workers: 7 clock hours (0.7 CEU’s).  The Board of Examiners of Social Work in Texas accepts Psychology Works accreditation by the APA and NBCC to provide continuing education for social workers.

Marriage & Family Therapists:  7contact hours.  This program is approved by the Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

CE Certificates. Certificates will be available on-site after the seminar.  To receive CE credit, you must attend the entire 7-hour program; please arrange your schedule accordingly.