Breaking down the barriers to clinical service delivery: walk-in family therapy.
This article provides a description of a unique walk-in family therapy service designed to overcome barriers to clinical delivery, as well as a survey of client experiences with the therapy. This therapy modality is aimed at providing an immediately accessible, affordable, nonstigmatizing, single-session-focused resource. The service operates from a systemic, collaborative, consumer oriented, pragmatic, non-pathology perspective. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with 43 clients 3 to 6 months after they received treatment. Generally, former clients reported satisfaction with the service. The majority (67%) indicated some level of improvement, and 43% of participants found their single session sufficient to address their concerns. At the time of the session, the majority (86%) of clients were rated by their therapists as "customers" regarding their motivational readiness for change.
Miller
John K
JK
Marriage and Family Therapy Program, 5251 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403-5251, USA. jkmiller@oregon.uoregon.edu
Slive
Arnold
A
D000416:Alberta; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors