Home-Based Family Counseling

Abstract

Home-based family counseling (HBFC), also described as “intensive in-home” or “Multi-Systemic” therapy, has been utilized since 1990 and is a growing market trend. However, this modality has only recently become an accepted counseling practice. Currently, there are no professional guidelines for HBFC interventions. Even among accredited counseling programs, it seems that little training is offered specific to HBFC programs and too often in-home interventions are executed by paraprofessionals with little to no formal counseling training. This article will clarify the role of counselors within this growing practice, explore the ethical and multicultural implications of HBFC interventions, and provide an opening for the profession to begin to discuss the professionalization of home-based interventions.