ABSTRACT
Effective intervention and treatment is based on an accurate assessment of the presenting problem. The fault of the keen therapist is to start to intervene during the assessment phase of work with a new family. It is easy to develop short cuts in thinking and analysis of problems as more experience is gained in an area of work. This leads to several traps:
1 lack of interest in and boredom with the problem and consequent poor empathy with the parents and child
2 professional distancing by prescribing change rather than working through the problem with the family
3 giving inaccurate advice based on previous experience rather than listening to the family
4 feelings of helplessness either because of previous experience of failure or prediction of no change
5 belittling the problem as defined by the parents and labelling them as over-anxious
6 limitations in developing therapeutic skills and finding new ways of working.
