To make an understanding of parental mentalillness into a family process through parents' and

children's groups

Bitta Söderblom Helsinki/Finland

The mentally ill parent, possible partner, ex-spouse ◦ Mainly parents with affective illness

The child can’t participate without a parent

The child, age range 2-3 years◦ Siblings welcomed, if within the age range

& if evaluated meaningful & constructive

2 group leaders in both group◦ Multi-professional & -organizational

teamwork

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

2 opening dialogues◦ Parent + parent & child

10 group sessions, 90-120 min/week ◦ Parallel groups, 3 shared sessions

◦ Activity orientation, dialogical peer support & insight building

Own experiences understandable

1 follow-up discussion 4-6 weeks later◦ Family meeting: questions to discuss

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

To make use of protective processes in mutual dialogues ◦ Between family members (lessons learned BFI)

Break taboo & build understanding together, sense of family belonging, shared problem solving, ways to support wellbeing

◦ Within support groups

Universalism & processes of normalizing

Mutuality: New understanding & perspectives

A possibility to learn new problem solving skills

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

2. To learn to know each others 3. The parental mental illness in

my world & words 4. My feelings: learn to know my

feelings5. My feelings & coping with them6.To be assertive & express needs

2.To learn to know each others 3.My way of understanding my

illness4.How children understand my

illness5. How can I support my child?6. Preparing for the next session ”

1.What brings us together?

7. ”Time for questions” & the child's supporting adults

8. To ask for help when needed

9. Me, my self and my possibilities

8.Good enough parenting

9.Evaluation of the worth of the intervention

10. Time to celebrate

Co-operation between the groups◦ Shared sessions, short visits, messages in-between

the groups, similar tasks

The child is kept ”present” in the parental group◦ Parents informed of child program: what, how &

why

Child’s experiences & needs visible, support dialogues

Questions about the illness/family situation are ”handed over” to the parents group◦ The parental trust in own capability is a necessity to

ensure the continuing process

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

Spring 2010

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

Why are you ill? Why do you have the illness?

Is it our fault that you feel bad?

Can one die of depression?

What do you do in your group?

Do you love us, us children?

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

From where do the illness come? Why are you ill?

Can one recover from it? How do you get better?

Do I get ill?

Is the illness our fault?

Why are you so angry all the time?

Why do you shout for nothing?

Why don´t you answer when I talk to you?

Why do the illness make you so tired?

How can I help you

Who will help us when the after the group?

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

A positive intervention◦ Seem to be attractive, drop outs rare!

The parallel process: Brings understanding of parental mental illness into a family process◦ Lay ground for changes in everyday life

10 sessions do not make any miracle: Good enough for many families to get started ◦ Early identification of families needing support

The multi-professional & -organizational teamwork◦ Valuable for the families, helpful for the clinicians

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

A possibility to build understanding

◦ ”... because it’s good to learn to understand why the parent is so tired and why mothers may behave in a strange way...”

To get relief

◦ ”... because it was a good group and it helped... ...its now much easier to be & live right now”

Help to talk

◦ ”It helped…you know how to talk with your mother about the illness... It may be difficult also for the mother.”

◦ ”... because you get help. And when you have talked to someone it will be easier to talk to others later on”

Gains for the parent

◦ ”...because perhaps the mother will get better!”

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi

2010bitta.soderblom@kolumbus.fi