Abup ut
FAMILY THERAPY
Our family therapy services consists of various nature-based approaches that are specifically developed for systemic work with dyads (parent-child) or whole-families. These interventions are mainly multi-family group work where either the entire family participates, only parents, or for instance a parent and a child participating together. Often times a grandparent, uncle or aunt, for instance, participate instead of a parent. There can be all variations of family constellations.
Family therapy utilise various formats. Normally we have a closed group structure, however, it varies whether sessions take place during daytime, afternoons or evenings, and at times overnight trips are included. Most commonly, family therapy interventions are facilitated by 3 therapists/pedagogues with 4-6 participating families or dyads. Hver samling deltar som regel 3 terapeuter/pedagoger og 4- 6 familier eller dyader (en forelder og et barn).
Goals
Together with each family, we determine goals for participating in outdoor therapy, where examples include:
- Improved interaction between parent and child, and within the family
- Improved mental health and daily life functioning
- Improved parental competence and self-efficacy
- Improved emotional competence and ability to mentalise, i.e., understand and manage thoughts, feelings and behaviour of self and others
- Improved relational competence and ability to manage conflicts
- Improved assertiveness, i.e., voice their opinion and boundary setting
- Improved assertiveness, i.e., voice their opinion and boundary setting
- Exposure training
- Regain “spark of life”, joy of movement and improved mood/energy within the family
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
- Time in nature
- Physical movement, activity and play
- Social community
- Experiences that foster self-efficacy
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- Stress reduction, sense of tranquillity and attentive presence
- Coping mechanisms: learning, collaboration, and the chance for new experiences
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- Reflection and conversations
THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
- Family therapy/systemic approach
- Nature-based therapy
- Sensorimotor and play-based approach
- Positive psychology: Resource-focused and strengths-based
- Trauma-focused care: Focusing on safety, relation, and regulation
- Cognitive behavioural therapy: Focusing on thoughts, feelings, body and behaviour
- Emotion-focused approach and skills training: Notice, manage, express and integrate feelings, in addition to empathic validation, apology and boundaries
- Narrative approach: Generating new stories and use of metaphors
FOR WHOM?
Children who are referred to ABUP and their parents/guardians and siblings, at times also involving other relatives or others from their close network.
Family therapy can be particularly suitable when the child struggles with emotion regulation, when there are challenges in the parent-child interaction, when parents request guidance and in the instances where the child (and parents/guardians) finds it hard to participate in traditional indoor facilitation of mental health services.
WHAT DO WE DO?
The sessions are adapted according to the families’ goals, needs and capacity, where content may include a nature hike, campfire (if safe), joint meal preparation, and a group talk.
Additional content includes, for instance: outdoor activities (navigation, climbing, swimming etc.), cooperative exercises and play, calm activities (relaxation, hammock, mindfulness etc.), harvesting (mushrooms, berries, fishing etc.) and creative exercises (artwork etc.).
Contact & locations:
Kristiansand
Reach out to the contact person below for further enquiries and to find out when the next family intervention is scheduled.
- Multi-family intervention for children 8- 12 years of age: 1- 2 times a year. Weekly group session over a six-week period
- Father-son group: 1- 2 times a year.
Vibeke Palucha. Phone: 99108318. E-mail: vibeke.palucha@sshf.no
Lister
Reach out to the contact person below for further enquiries and to find out when the next family intervention is scheduled.
Anne Kari Jansen. Phone: 90142991. E-mail: anne.kari.jansen@sshf.no
Arendal
Reach out to the contact person below for further enquiries and to find out when the next family intervention is scheduled.
Camilla Larsen Major. Phone: 48051585. E-mail: lcamil@sshf.no
English 
Norwegian