AAMFT Podcast: Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT)

Introduction

• Host: Dr. Eli Karam
• Guest: Dr. Jose Saboznik, founder of BSFT
• Topic: Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT)
• Organization: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

Background of Dr. Jose Saboznik

• Long-term career at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
• Received over $100 million in NIH funding
• Over 250 scholarly publications
• Focus on adolescent drug abuse prevention and treatment in Hispanic youth
• Interest in role of context in development, behavior, and health outcomes

Development of BSFT

• Developed in response to challenges faced by immigrant Hispanic youth in South Florida
• Influences: Structural Family Therapy (Salvador Minuchin) and Strategic Family Therapy (Jay Haley)
• Focus on transforming family interactions from conflict to collaboration
• Emphasis on the role of cultural contexts in therapy

Principles of BSFT

• Strength-Based Approach: Focus on converting negative interactions to constructive ones
• Family Bond: Emphasizing the underlying love in familial relationships
• Interactional Patterns: Targeting repetitive patterns linked to presenting problems
• Brief and Strategic: Therapy is direct, focused on present issues and interactions

Techniques in BSFT

• Joining and Tracking: Understanding and aligning with family dynamics
• Reframing and Restructuring: Altering perspectives and family roles
• Diagnostically Driven: Focus on real-time interactions rather than past problems

Engagement Strategies

• Establish a Governing Coalition: Offer each family member something meaningful to encourage participation
• Use the family's language and avoid clinical jargon
• Facilitate negotiation and collaborative solutions

Challenges and Solutions in BSFT

• Resistance: Defined as therapist's behavior leading to family objections
• Engagement of Difficult Youth: Address issues that resonate with them, such as autonomy and peer interactions
• Working with High-Risk Families: Focus on interaction processes over content, even in substance use cases

Final Thoughts

• Process Focus: Core of BSFT is enhancing family members' abilities to solve their own content problems
• Therapist Role: Guide the family in acquiring new interactional skills

Resources

• Book: "Brief Strategic Family Therapy" by Jose Saboznik and Olga Hervis
• Training: Available through the American Psychological Association
• Contact: Email Jszap@miami.edu

Conclusion

• Importance of systemic thinking in therapeutic practice
• Encouragement for practitioners to develop skills in BSFT to work effectively with diverse family systems