Effective family therapy can be challenging. In addition to increased complexity involved with treating family systems, there are other barriers such as buy-in from individual family members, sub-system alliances and triangulation, and often navigating multiple developmental levels. This presentation will present research on these challenges, explore effective therapeutic strategies, and demonstrate interventions to help overcome these barriers to treating families in therapy.

As a result of attending this session, you will be able to:

1) Explain foundations of play across the lifespan, therapeutic use of metaphors, and symbolic interactionism; and,

2) Observe and practice playful, metaphor and symbol-based therapeutic interventions for clients of all ages.