Family therapy and autism spectrum, complex trauma, neurodiversity,<scp>school‐based</scp>filial therapy, postpartum depression, and more

This issue addresses important themes in family therapy for children and youth beginning with two articles on helping low-needs youth on the autism spectrum with their emotional regulation challenges. There are also articles on involving parents in assessing complex trauma in young children, a qualitative study into how families of children with neurodevelopmental and behavioural disabilities experience single-session therapy, and a study showing how families change when a child participates in a school-based filial program. In addition, there is a pilot study of the use of a ‘relationships prompt sheet’ in an alcohol and other drugs rehabilitation program, research showing the value of utilising social media-based drama therapy and family counselling to treat postpartum depression for Nigerian women, and an in-practice qualitative study of object relations couple therapy for a married Korean man with sexual dysfunction. Finally, in Dialogues and Interviews, Deisy Amorin-Woods continues the autism theme for children in conversation with child neuropsychiatrist, Carmine Saccu. The first article by McGuinty, Carlson, Nelson, and Scott (2023) from Ontario, Canada describes an eight-session intervention protocol to address emotional regulation issues for low-needs youth on the autism spectrum. The program integrates narrative therapy-informed practices with metaphor and schema therapy as applied across home, school, and community settings. This incorporates the externalising of problems, the creation of a metaphor to represent the problem and the use of client and family strengths to shift metaphors, all of which is illustrated by a detailed family therapy case study. The approach can have wide application to brief therapy, counselling, and autism support services. The second article on this topic by McGuinty, Carlson, Li, Nelson, and Borges (2023) describes a walk-in single-session consultation (SSC) model tailored to assist low needs youth on the autism spectrum presenting with emotional self-regulation issues. It builds upon a body of clinical research into externalising metaphors therapy that integrates externalising practices from narrative therapy, the therapeutic use of metaphors, and the purposeful use of complex schemas. The approach utilises interactive and playful metaphors for emotional self-regulation, client and family strengths, unique preferred interests as well as virtual, interactive technology that invites the client and family to participate through a variety of devices (iPhone, tablet, iPad, laptop, touch screen, etc.). This neurotypical autism-specific walk-in SSC approach is illustrated through a detailed case study with a youth and family. In the third article, Matthew Brand (2023) from Redlands, New South Wales outlines an approach to assessing complex trauma in young children in voluntary community settings. As the author notes, complex trauma involves a child's exposure to multiple traumatic events usually within the context of an interpersonal relationship with an adult caregiver and has significant consequences for physical and mental health. Nonetheless it is difficult to assess in young children, takes time, and requires caregivers to recognise and acknowledge its impact for the child and often the parent. What is outlined is a framework for assessing complex trauma in young children in a voluntary setting where parents are included as a key part of the assessment and treatment process. The next paper by Creen et al. (2023) from Queensland and South Australia is a qualitative study of how families of children with neurodevelopmental and behavioural disabilities experience a single-session therapy (SST) framework in advanced allied health practice. It explores the parent/caregiver and child experience of the consultation by examining key themes that led to therapeutic change. Parents reported that these included an increased understanding of their children, being heard and valued, and respected for decisions about how to manage their child's and family's needs. When appropriately administered by experienced and trained health practitioners, SST is useful for families dealing with children with developmental and behavioural challenges. The fifth paper by Cooper et al. (2023) from Victoria and NSW explores how families change when a child participates in school-based filial therapy (SBFT) from the perspective of Bowen family systems theory. SBFT is a play therapy intervention (with family therapy origins) for children experiencing emotional–behavioural problems that are conducted by trained school personnel in the school setting without involving family members. The study found significant changes in children's behavioural symptoms with caregivers experiencing less anxiety about their child and a greater sense of hope and confidence as well as improved family interactions involving siblings and parents. The approach has applicability in remote and rural areas where there is lack of specialist intervention services for child mental health issues. The next paper by Anderson and Furlong (2023) from The Bouverie Centre in Melbourne, Victoria documents the development of a pilot project within an alcohol and other drugs residential rehabilitation program using a ‘thinking about relationships prompt sheet.’ A literature review identifies major components of relational competence across relationship types like friends and siblings based on the three domains of values, knowledge, and skills. The authors argue the value of embedding a concern for the importance of personal relationships and relationship improvement for residents of an AOD residential service with further research proposed examining implementation and reflective feedback from staff and consumers. In the seventh paper Onogwu et al. (2023) explore the use of social media-based drama therapy and family counselling to treat symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) for women in Nigeria, Africa. The intervention targeted couples with female partners within 4 weeks of delivery with one group receiving drama therapy and the second group receiving family counselling focused on increasing spousal support. Both interventions took place over 10 weeks utilising a WhatsApp platform. It was found that both drama therapy and family counselling delivered through social media can play a significant role in reducing PPD symptoms for both women and men. The in-practice article by Koh et al. (2023) from Seoul, South Korea and Austin, Texas, USA is a qualitative family therapy case study of object relations couple therapy for a married Korean man with sexual dysfunction. It examines the couple's interaction patterns and experiences of conflict related to the husband's erectile dysfunction. Thematic analysis showed that sexual dysfunction is not just a personal issue but is grounded in couple relationship issues that include emotional resistance, conflict style, and family-of-origin factors. It is recommended that therapists who counsel Korean couples with sexual issues examine the history of both partners, and attend to sociocultural factors as well as interactional patterns and psychological factors associated with families of origin. In Dialogues and Interviews, Deisy Amorin-Woods (2023) interviews child neuropsychiatrist, Carmine Saccu from Milan, Italy on the power of metaphors and use of creative resources in working systemically with families and children presenting with autism. These include the creative use of metaphors, stories, the use of animals in therapy, and utilising play and humour in creating a safe, calm, and healing therapeutic space for working with non-verbal children with autism. This is a fascinating insight into a master therapist and pioneer in the field of family therapy.

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