What Is It?

Alternatives for Families - A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT) is an intervention program designed for families involved in the use of physical force/discipline, child and family aggression, and frequent conflicts. AF-CBT goals are to enhance child/family safety and to improve the relationships between children and their caregivers. AF-CBT seeks to reduce the risks for high conflict interactions and to minimize any clinical concerns or consequences of these experiences in children, including behavior, emotional, and social problems.

AF-CBT seeks to strengthen family relationships, skills, and routines using a coordinated and structured set of teaching methods and experiences. Counselors work both with individuals and family members together to help families find ways to decrease their stress and solve everyday problems effectively. AF-CBT is applied by trained practitioners in individual, parent-child, or family sessions. Common treatment goals include reducing a caregiver's level of anger and use of force, promoting non-aggressive (alternative) discipline strategies, enhancing a child's coping skills, and encouraging non-aggressive family problem-solving and communication.

Families are typically seen once each week. Services usually involve individual and family sessions. We work collaboratively with each family to teach useful skills to each participant.

How Do Families Benefit?

Families benefit by:

• Learning new ways to react to stressful situations
• Improving family use of communication and problem-­solving
• Practicing relaxation and other self-control methods
• Strengthening positive parenting practices
• Enhancing children's coping and social skills
• Promoting healthy family functioning
• Preventing any further concerns about the continued use of physical force or aggression
• Experiencing increased satisfaction with family relationships

What will families learn?

The following topics are offered:

• Family communication
• Personal and family safety
• Relaxation techniques
• Anger management techniques
• Coping strategies
• Crisis management
• Social skills training
• Social support planning
• Child development
• Praise and positive attention
• Behavior management
• Feeling identification and expression
• Effective problem-solving

For more information

Contact Caroline Plummer at (206) 329-2050, ext 139 or email her.