Family Focused Therapy for Bipolar Disorder is a 9-10 month program consisting of 21 family sessions which include the identified family member who has been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
The program is designed to carry families and their loved one through the acute stage of illness, the stabilization stage, as well as maintenance and relapse prevention, with the understanding that family support is an essential ingredient for a better prognosis.
Acuute-Stabilization Stage 10-12 weekly sessions
Stabilization-Maintenance Stage 12 biweekly sessions
(every other week for roughly 3months)
Maintenance-Problem Solving 1 Monthly session for 3 months
Family Focused Treatment (FFT) Seeks to Provide the Following for Families and their Loved Ones w/Bipolar Disorder:
-Psycho Education to address what families and identified client can expect from this new diagnosis
-Understand medications used to treat Bipolar Disorder
-Address grief associated with expectations of life before diagnosis and learn ways clients can live a full life despite diagnosis
-Understand symptoms and warnings signs for the prevention of relapse
-Understand various treatment modalities for managing Bipolar I and II Disorder
-Enhance Communication Strategies to prevent high stress family interactions
-Problem Solving for family and client challenges as they come up
-Participants will receive a discounted rate for membership to Bipolar Family Support Group
My passion for treating Bipolar Disorder and working with families is not just an interest, it’s personal. I myself have navigated the complexity of having family members diagnosed with Bipolar I, and have found that families are left without the support and education they need to be an emotional resource and advocate for their loved one.
I have over 12 years of counseling in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and have invested in intense training for couples and individuals using both Emotionally Focused Therapy and Gottman Method. I am excited to bring Family Focused Treatment to the Atlanta area and to implement this gold standard treatment for Bipolar Disorder.