Abstract
Family therapists are increasingly called upon to work with individuals and families with medical issues, but often do not have sufficient background on the issue to be most helpful. The purpose of this paper is to help family therapists understand Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and its impact on the individual and his or her family. PD is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the United States, following Alzheimer’s disease (Hirtz et al., Neurology 68:326–337, 2007). According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, approximately 60,000 individuals are diagnosed with PD every year, and approximately one million Americans are currently living with PD. In this paper, we provide an overview of PD based on research and the second author’s many years of providing services for individuals with PD, as well as offer specific recommendations for providing family therapy using narrative, solution-focused and emotionally focused therapy based on the first author’s work as a family therapist with individuals, groups, and couples dealing with PD.
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This manuscript did not involve human and/or animal participants. The case studies used in the manuscript are based on a composite of multiple cases that the first author worked with in order to protect confidentiality. All identifying information has been changed in order to protect client confidentiality.
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Spencer, C., Haub, M. Family Therapy with Couples and Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. Contemp Fam Ther 40, 299–308 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-018-9458-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-018-9458-x