Work

Helping Relationships with At-Risk Families: Principles and Implications for Practice

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Professional Helping Relationships with families assume that all families have capabilities, resources and potential to deal with the constant intra and inter-system pressures that make vulnerable families demoralised and in psychological distress. It is therefore important to create therapeutic relationships based on mutual trust and collaboration, where families are the real promoters of their own change, with an active role not only throughout the help process but also during decision-making in moments of stress or crisis. This article, based on a case study with a multi-challenged family in a Family Support and Parental Counselling Centre (FSPCC), aims to reflect on the implications for practice of Helping Relationships in family interventions, and contribute to a better understanding of the importance of these relationships throughout the change and empowerment process of each family.

Source: Crossroads of Social Inquiry

DOI: 10.64851/csi.v2i3.114

Authors: Cindi Santos, Sofia Veiga

Institutions: Universidade Técnica do Porto, Centro de Investigação e Inovação em Educação

Language: English

Topic: Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia