A Short-Term Training in Multi-Family Therapy for Helping Professionals in China: Experiences in Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Kunming

Abstract

Multi-family therapy (MFT), a blend of systemic family therapy and group therapy, has been widely applied in Western countries since the 1950s. Although indigenous models of MFT have recently been developed in Chinese contexts such as Hong Kong and Singapore, the treatment modality remains new to helping professionals in China. This article describes a short-term training in MFT which comprises theoretical and experiential components, and reports the results of our evaluation in regard to the training effectiveness. Between April 2023 and September 2024, 232 helping professionals participated in training workshops conducted in four cities in China: Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Kunming. The training model was deemed helpful in promoting the perceived conceptual, perceptual, and executive competencies concerning MFT, and trainees with less work experience benefited from the training more than experienced trainees. This article discusses the value of short-term training and experiential exercises for enhancing perceived competencies in MFT.