The client self-referred in regards to her sister’s alcohol use. She reported that she felt angry with her sister and frustrated and helpless. The client was trying to control her sister’s drinking and get her to stop. The client was also struggling to be the peacemaker within the family because the problematic behaviour of her sister was affecting the whole family dynamic.
The client self-referred in regards to her sister’s alcohol use. She reported that she felt angry with her sister and frustrated and helpless. The client was trying to control her sister’s drinking and get her to stop. The client was also struggling to be the peacemaker within the family because the problematic behaviour of her sister was affecting the whole family dynamic.
We discussed the effects of alcohol, both short and long term and looked at what the client wanted to achieve through her appointments with family support, her expectations and looked at realistic outcomes for the client.
After 4 brief interventions it was agreed to move onto PACT, during these sessions we worked on :
PACT
Mood screener
My strengths
How PACT changes your loved one’s use
Risk factors
Assessing enabling
Other’s enabling
We also worked on:
Positive communication, using PIUS statements
Healthy boundaries and extinction bursts
Detachment/avoiding conflict situations
Self-care/self-rewards
REBT
At the closing session the client stated that she felt less stressed. The client said that she has passed on the things she has learnt from her sessions to the other members of her family and that the family dynamics have improved, resulting with her sister and brother back in communication with each other after being estranged.
The client said that she is more laid back now, she stated that “I have changed the way I think, I’ve come to see my worries as irrational belief, things are less stressful knowing that I don’t have to be responsible for (*) and I am only responsible for myself.”
