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Counselor Quick Links |
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Equipping You to Counsel Stepfamilies
Stay in tune. Sign-up for our FREE bi-monthly Stepfamily E-Magazine here... Email this page to a friend.
Don't be part of the problem. One study found that half of subjects in therapy suffered from the treatment received because their clinician lacked specific knowledge about common stepfamily dynamics. Prepare yourself to be an asset, not a liability. [Reference: Pasley, K. , Rhoden, L., Visher, E.B., & Visher, J. S. (1996). Successful stepfamily therapy: Client’s perspectives. Journal of Marriage and the family, 22, 343-357.]
Key articles & web-based resources:
· Therapy with Stepfamilies– article by Ron L. Deal, LMFT, LPC providing an overview of remarriage and stepfamily assessment and intervention. An essential guide for learning how to counsel stepfamilies.
· Stepfamily Developmental Tasks– download a PDF quick reference guide by Ron L. Deal describing the key developmental tasks for stepfamilies over three periods of time: before the wedding, during the integration years (first 7 years), and beyond 8 years of marriage. Plus, separate charts describe the tasks of stepfamilies following death, divorce, and an out-of-wedlock birth. Ron candidly calls this his “cheat sheet” for ministry leaders and therapists.
· Couple Checkup inventory – have dating, engaged, and remarried couple’s take the online Couple Checkup (powered by PREPARE/ENRICH) before or during treatment. You will get an x-ray of their strengths and couples’ receive dynamic feedback (and intervention) for their relationship.
· Pre-Stepfamily Counseling– learn how preparing couples for stepfamily living is different than first-marriage premarital counseling and see a sample 10-session format.
· Stepfamily Ministry– encourage your congregation to build a supportive, educational ministry to couples in stepfamilies. Learn about available resources and how to structure the ministry here.
· Marriage Intensives – difficult cases and crisis couple’s may benefit from a 2 or 3-day Marriage Therapy Intensive with Ron L. Deal. He will work with you to provide after care following the intensive.
· Therapy with Stepfamilies training– purchase Ron’s training DVD for counselors (produced by AACC) here... or find training workshops throughout the country here... 
· Recommended Resources – includes a list of web sites, books, and video resources for both clients and therapists.
Key Interventions: depending on the client system’s needs, these links may be helpful to you as you counsel the couple, children, or family. For your convenience, a Client Quick Links page has also been created. Refer your clients here... or print this PDF version as a handout for them.
· Psychoeducational interventions prove very helpful with stepfamilies because couples gain perspective and understanding as to the dynamics impacting their family. You can suggest they:
1. Watch an online TV program (click here)
2. Read or listen to one of our resources (e.g., The Smart Stepfamily)
3. Watch The Smart Stepfamily DVD series (view a sample session online)
4. Attend a live conference event
5. Read an online article at our web site (see below)
· Read & discuss with your clients: Parent & Stepparent Roles Chart
· Read & share with your clients: How to Cook a Stepfamily
· Articles for Dating Couples
· Articles on a variety of subjects for Couples and Stepfamilies
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