What is Medical Family Therapy?

ARTICLE BY: ELIZABETH EARNSHAW, LMFT, CGT

Many people come to therapy during or after challenges they face within the world of medicine. These challenges might be the result of a challenging diagnosis, a chronic illness, or a life threatening disease.

At our practice, many of our therapists are highly trained to support people while they are navigating the complex systems that surround physical health - doctor's offices, insurance companies, their family members, their jobs, and so much more - alongside the painful emotional and mental impacts.

When a member of a family is diagnosed with an illness, other members of that family are impacted. Some family members become the immediate caregiver, others become the fixer, perhaps some feel frozen and uncertain about what to do. And, of course, there is also the person that is managing the illness within their own body.

Medical Family Therapy uses a biopsychosocial-spiritual approach to support the entire family as they navigate issues like cancer treatment, dialysis, and medical testing. People come to therapy with their partner or their family to navigate illnesses like Cancer, ALS, chronic depression, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and so much more.

Therapy with a clinician who understands the healthcare system can be incredibly beneficial to couples and families that are experiencing chronic, sudden and traumatic, or terminal illnesses within the family.

What do our therapists believe?

We believe that there should be strong collaboration between the healthcare team and the patient and as a therapist, they support and advocate for their patient to be a part of their own care. In a private practice setting, this might look like your therapist validating your frustrations with your medical team and helping you come up with ways to advocate for yourself or looking for alternate options alongside you.

We also believe that the body impacts the mind and the mind impacts the body and they try to respond to issues that created fragmented, ineffective, and inhumane care.

Why does this matter?

When people are receiving medical care, there are some common experiences that feel challenging for the patient and their family. Here are some of the challenges:

1. The experience of having physical health split from mental health.

When people are being treated for mental health concerns or physical health concerns, they might experience their treatment as being "siloed". For instance, their physician might recommend something to them that their mental health therapist does not and vice versa. They might also have difficulty finding care providers that believe them. Many people experience telling a physician about a medical issue and being told it's "all in their head". When you work with a family therapist that is trained regarding the systems of medicine, they can help you to advocate for yourself within these splits.

2. Disregarding community and family.

Sometimes, medical professionals forget how much family can impact the health of a patient. They forget to involve family members in treatment plans or they dismiss the concerns of family members. They might also create treatment plans that don't consider the realities that the family is facing. Medical family therapists work towards helping the family build cohesiveness so that they can face their hurdles together.

3. Challenges with finances.

When you are receiving medical care, particularly if it is extensive, you might experience the common frustrations of dealing with incoming bills or fighting with insurance companies. This is a major stressor for those facing illness and one that must be validated.

Therapists at our practice that specialize in supporting individuals, couples, and families through medical complexities:

Alex Bullock, LCSW

Alex is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has extensive experience working with families and children, particularly families and children that have experienced serious medical conditions like childhood cancer. Alex has worked and been trained at CHOP and brings her skills from the hospital setting to our comfortable private practice.

Read more about Alex here: www.abetterlifetherapy.com/alex

Catherine Herling, MFT

Catherine has her Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University where she concentrated in Medical Family Therapy. Through her training there, Catherine learned how to pay close attention to the entire system that impacts a person's medical care. She supports adolescents and their families through managing challenging diagnoses like PTSD, Autism, and Cancer.

Read more about Catherine here: www.abetterlifetherapy.com/catherine

Jenna Rosenau, LCSW

Jenna is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Pennsylvania. Jenna has spent her career learning how to support people across the lifespan as they come face to face with chronic or terminal illness. Jenna brings her experiences at different medical institutions, including CHOP, to the therapy room when she supports adult individuals and couples as they work together to navigate complexities.

Read more about Jenna here: https://abetterlifetherapy.com/about/#jenna-rosenau-lcsw

Philadelphia Therapist

Elizabeth is a Philadelphia therapist supporting couples and individuals struggling with unhealthy relationships, setting boundaries, infidelity and life stressors. Elizabeth is the Director of A Better Life Therapy where you can find counseling support for mental health and relationship issues in Pennsylvania.