What is Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy?
The Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) clinical model focuses on supporting family recovery through influencing and shifting interactional elements of family system structure that are essential to child wellbeing as outlined by the ESFT Logic Model. ESFT is applicable within a broad range of clinical settings and across a diverse group of clients. ESFT can be utilized as a primary intervention for families, couples, adults, or child individual treatment. The clinical model can also be used as an adjunct to other evidence-based practices.
ESFT has four targets for assessment and intervention. In these four areas, clinicians assess the resources available (strengths) that can be harnessed to create change as well as the challenges present which contribute to the presenting symptoms. These four areas of family functioning are correlated with family wellbeing.
Stages of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy Treatment
ESFT treatment progresses through 6 stages. Each stage is associated with specific clinician tasks and interventions and is navigated collaboratively together with the family. The stages are not linear but responsive and flexible based on the needs and changing circumstances of the family members. At each stage, clinicians and families work to make change that increasingly stabilizes and improves individual and family functioning.
Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy Training at YFTI
Why Learn Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy?
ESFT is an evidence supported intervention, currently under review as a promising practice. Maintaining certifications and professional licenses can be a challenge. Certifying in ESFT helps you to check this requirement off your list! YFTI provides certificates for continuing education at each level of ESFT training. Currently, YFTI offers certificates for Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, National Board-Certified Counselors, and Psychologists. Our supervision certification also qualifies for continuing education for Approved Clinical Supervisors.
Who Is Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy Training Designed For?
ESFT training through the Youth and Family Training Institute (YFTI) can be adapted to meet the needs of a wide variety of helping professionals and helping contexts. If you are interested in improving your ability to effectively engage families and children to create meaningful change in the communities you serve, YFTI is here to support you. YFTI can also accommodate the learning needs of whole agencies, seeking to increase their staff and supervisors’ proficiency with systemic and family therapy interventions across all levels of care.
What Will You Learn?
Family Therapy Training Center Philosophy
Our curriculum is designed to foster systemic, skilled application of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) across a wide range of child and adolescent issues, developmental stages, family styles, and cultural backgrounds. The training center seeks to provide the skills and tools needed to therapists, supervisors, and agencies to collaboratively create long-lasting change in families.
Our supportive training seeks to create a collaborative learning community that assists individuals and programs as they maintain treatment fidelity and continuously improve their intervention effectiveness and outcomes.
Charting a course towards professional growth and development together!
The YFTI Difference
Our professional purpose is to help you achieve yours! We are passionate about our shared mission – to create systems that help children and families to heal and thrive. Our training reflects this dedication and enthusiasm.
We work diligently to provide a responsive customer service experience. YFTI has full-time staff dedicated to supporting your implementation of ESFT at every level. We also offer a menu of training modalities to flexibly meet your needs:
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Contact Information
Tara Byers, EdD, NCC, LPC, ACS
Family Therapy Training Center Director
Youth and Family Training Institute
Email: byerstl2@upmc.edu