Integrative family therapy as represented in this DVD draws from the generic base of practice in family therapy. It is Dr. Lebow's version of how to work with families in an integrative way. This method is not presented as a new model of treatment, but as the integration of the best available treatment models, strategies, and interventions for working with families.
Dr. Lebow's approach is based in the simple notion of utilizing the most appropriate, helpful, and effective treatment strategies that are applicable in each case, coupled with the concept of therapists selecting those strategies that they can most effectively deliver. The approach builds on a biopsychosocial and systemic theoretical underpinning and emphasizes clients as informed consumers and collaborators in treatment. The approach builds on and attempts to maximize the impact of common factors in treatment.
The approach features creating a clear therapy contract, thorough assessment, clear goal setting, the utilization of multiple therapy session formats, holding both a systemic and individual focused perspective, maintaining a solution-oriented focus, creating a multipartial alliance with all parties, tracking outcome on a session-by-session basis throughout treatment, and the utilization of a wide range of intervention strategies and interventions.
Among those strategies used are ones that focus on psychoeducation, behavior, cognition, emotion, internal process, and relevant social systems. The approach can be used in a time-limited way, but is intended to be "open-ended" in building an alliance with the family that can be drawn upon to help the family cope with various challenges over the life cycle that might arise.
This approach is intended to be applicable to the broad range of clients seeking couple and family therapy, either for relational difficulties such as family conflict, or as part of the treatment of an individual problem. Treatment strategies are adapted to the presenting problem, the family, and the context of the therapy, to maximize the acceptability and effectiveness of the treatment. It is intended to be suitable for all clients presenting for couple or family therapy. There have been several specific descriptions in the literature of the adaptation of this approach to high conflict divorcing families.