Psychiatric home care and family therapy: A window of opportunity for the psychiatric clinical nurse specialist

This article discusses use of the Developmental-Interactional Model of family therapy by a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) for selected patients receiving psychiatric home care services. This form of family therapy is an integrative approach to working with individuals, couples, and families that combines elements of structural-strategic family therapy with life cycle and intergenerational approaches. Applied to patients and families in a home care setting, this model permits the CNS to assess relational dynamics over time, determining how these transitions relate to a family's problem-solving capability. Case studies are provided to show the application of this model for desired outcomes.