Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) serves families residing in Westchester County and is a strength based, trauma sensitive, short term, evidenced- based, problem focused therapy that helps improves youth’s behavior by improving family interactions. All families will be solely referred by Westchester Department of Social Services (DSS) and will be involved in the child welfare system. The goal of the program is to preserve the family unit, ensure that children can safely remain in their homes and facilitate positive behavior change.
Families undergoing Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) are typically advised not to enroll in or receive concurrent services such as individual therapy or family therapy. This guideline is in place to ensure the effectiveness and consistency of the BSFT intervention. By exclusively focusing on BSFT without other interventions, families can fully engage in the therapy's strategies and techniques, maximizing its potential benefits.
BSFT helps children are youth ages 6-18 that are displaying externalizing and/or internalizing behaviors.
- Externalizing behavior, i.e. truancy, defiance, bullying, substance use.
- Internalizing behaviors, i.e. anxiety and depression.
- BSFT helps the entire family by helping the family develop effective ways to interact.
- Helps parents to improve/strengthen parenting skills.
- Reduce problematic behavior and keep families intact.
BSFT is short term therapy that is typically conducted in-home with a family for 12-15 weekly sessions, over a three-month period. Each session lasts 60 to 90 minutes. All family members are asked to participate.
BSFT focuses on
- Reducing youth’s negative problem behaviors
- Improving child-parent interactions, family functioning
- Improving communication skills
- Improving parental management of child’s behavior
Additionally, the program also has support staff to assist families navigating their community and resources. The support staff include a Family Advocate, Education and Employment Specialist and Youth Specialist.
