Parents and children together: Multifamily therapy for refugees with complex trauma symptoms

In this paper, the mentalization-based multifamily therapy is described. It concerns a contextual approach to working with families with trauma-related symptoms and dynamics. Individual wellbeing as well as parenting capacities are being negatively impacted by the sequence of dramatic life experiences that migrant families often are confronted with, including the stay in asylum-seeker centers and legal procedures or getting settled in the Netherlands. The multifamily therapy is adopted from years of experience at the Marlborough Centre in London, working with families dealing with a multitude of problems with various cultural backgrounds. Principles of the methodology, examples of interventions, and experiences of working with this methodology are described. As it is directed at optimal autonomy of families and its members, incorporating mentalization-enhancing strategies, it is less focused on rules and 'standard' norms and values, therefore enabling culturally sensitive services.