Thread by @BurbachDr

Pleased to be presenting on #digital approaches at the IFTA congress tomorrow @IFTA_Family with @PoteHelen 🙂
Our presentation is based on our Journal of Family Therapy special edition @AFTorg_UK @Editor_JFT

@IFTA_Family @PoteHelen @AFTorg_UK @Editor_JFT We define digital systemic practice & introduce frameworks for understanding digital mental health;
explore the slow but encouraging development of systemic practice pre-COVID;
describe the move to videoconferencing &
sketch out the possibilities of our digital future

#Digital #mentalhealth is so much more than the provision of videoconferencing
-many different approaches involving differing amounts of therapist involvement & tech automation
-spanning the full range of intervention levels @WISHQatar report at bit.ly/3nV4xmU

Widespread scepticism pre-Covid: therapists & clients saw digital as less desirable than in-person therapy despite advantages of convenience & easy access. @DrSarahHelps & LeCoyte’s JFT narrative review chronicles the slow development of digital systemic approaches pre-Covid

Despite being early adopters of technology (e.g. 1-way screens, video-recording of therapy) systemic therapists eschewed videoconferencing prior to #COVID19

The papers in the JFT special edition demonstrate that #COVID19 was a game-changer for #systemic therapy. The @AFTorg_UK survey @r_mc_kenny et al. found that 65% of 312 respondents rated videoconferencing positively. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/14…

Interesting to note that the positive themes identified in the @AFTorg_UK survey probably also apply to other forms of #psychological #therapy

@PoteHelen and I identify 4 challenges for digital systemic psychotherapy: Digital exclusion, Ethical considerations, Therapeutic alliance, Team collaboration. Teamwork is integral to systemic practice & it remains to be seen if the inherent drawbacks of digital can be overcome..

We predict a systemic revolution and explore likely changes in Approach, Methods, Techniques, Outcome evaluation & Healthcare systems
@PoteHelen @AFTorg_UK @IFTA_Family

Curious whether systemic therapists agree:
Will we reimagine concepts such as relationship, interaction & connection and will we widen our definition of the system to include virtual networks?
@PoteHelen @AFTorg_UK @IFTA_Family @TheAAMFT

Will we enriched systemic formulations by including the community- both real and virtual- through GPS location data and social network mapping?
@PoteHelen @AFTorg_UK @IFTA_Family @TheAAMFT @Editor_JFT @FamilyProcess @anzjft @IFTAjournal @MurmurationsJ

Will we start using technology enhanced assessments in #systemic therapy- initial assessments completed online, wearables monitoring wellbeing & physiological activity, real-time assessment & smart-phone therapy apps?
@PoteHelen @AFTorg_UK @IFTA_Family @TheAAMFT @Editor_JFT

Will our weekly, fortnightly or monthly therapy session be replaced by blended practice of virtual (e.g. smartphone chat bot) and live therapist intervention to provide a more flexible, personalised, supportive experience?
@PoteHelen @AFTorg_UK @IFTA_Family @TheAAMFT @Editor_JFT

Will we use virtual reflecting teams to bring in new remote audiences/ outsider witnesses and involve supportive social networks & peer networks in therapy?
@PoteHelen @AFTorg_UK @IFTA_Family @TheAAMFT @Editor_JFT @FamilyProcess @anzjft @IFTAjournal
@MurmurationsJ @r_mc_kenny

Will the digital revolution improve the evaluation of process & outcomes, enable feedback-informed care & help us determine the active ingredients of therapy?
@PoteHelen @DrSarahHelps @AFTorg_UK @IFTA_Family @Editor_JFT @FamilyProcess @TomVanDaele @mcmullarkey @JSchleiderPhD

Will digital blended approaches (e.g. see onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/14…) widen access to systemic therapy, make it more cost-effective and increase its reach?
@PoteHelen @DrSarahHelps @AFTorg_UK
@IFTA_Family @Editor_JFT @FamilyProcess @TheAAMFT

These were highlights from our IFTA presentation.
Full details available in our Journal of Family Therapy editorial: Digital approaches – a paradigm shift?
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/14…

@PoteHelen & I can be contacted via the email addresses in the slide

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