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What is FTM™?
FTM™ is a therapeutic process designed to ground families
in times of dramatic change. The primary purpose of FTM™
is to restart family unity, establish a behavioral regimen,
and promote pro-social outlets until healthy behavior
becomes second nature. The process of FTM™ is lead
by a Specialist that coordinates and leads a group effort
to educate, coach, counsel, organize, and guide children,
teens, parents and other family members in real-world
situations. Specialists work
directly with families to identify and overcome behavioral
and relationship challenges encountered in their daily
lives. Specialists work in the home with the entire family
and close friends, in school with teachers and positive
peers, and other social settings with mentors, extended
family, and necessary professionals.
FTM™ takes place in the home, in school, in social
circles, and remotely using technology and other avenues
of influence to permeate all aspects of a child
or teen’s life. Specialists, as well as other
professionals, provide proven training and coaching
methods followed-up with real world guidance and support.
FTM™ requires the participation of the entire family,
positive peers, mentors, teachers, and other professionals.
FTM™ is based on proven methods to achieve positive behavior
patterns and establish family unity. Though grounded
in procedure, FTM™ is highly customizable and adaptable
to a wide range of family situations.
Specialists help families develop all-encompassing
monitoring efforts and extensive channels of support
for extended periods of time. Contact with Specialists,
case managers, support channels, family meetings, exercises,
training and coaching sessions, ongoing education, monitoring
and check-ups, and other advanced methods are regular
events until positive, pattern behaviors become routine.
Is FTM™
Right for Us?
FTM is available to families living throughout
the United States and parts of Canada. As a process,
FTM™ has multiple applications, but presently, FTM™ has
been programmatically applied to serve a comprehensive
process of aftercare for teens returning from a wilderness
or residential program. FTM™ has also been applied in family intervention and life education
for those families experiencing crisis with a child
or teen between the ages of 8 to 20.
FTM™ provides programmatic structure, training, and
support for every family situation, life style, and
pace.
How Does
FTM™ Work?
FTM™ programs are lead by a Homeward Bound Specialist.
After the Specialist completes an initial assessment
most customized FTM™ programs involve an intensive 2
to 3 day in-home workshop in the form of a reunion or
an intervention. This immersion period is a core component
of FTM™ programs. Immersion as a method is proven to establish competency quickly. Specialists and families frequently
comment that they get more done in two days in the home than they
could have in 6 months of weekly outpatient visits to a family
therapist.
After the in-home workshop, behavioral regimens are
decided upon and put in place. Support systems like
the Home Team (see methods) are set up and monitoring
and evaluation mechanisms are put in motion. FTM™ programs
take advantage of many technologies including the Internet,
video recording, and video conferencing to keep support
and coaching channels open and regular. Monitoring and
evaluation is ongoing. The effort is administered remotely
by the Specialist and a case manager via regular contact
with multiple respondents in multiple categories. Respondents
include individual family members, members of the home
team and other friends, community members, school personnell,
and, other specialized professionals. This
centralized, coordinated effort ensures that nothing
slips through the cracks and eliminates repetition
of care. This also allows the Specialists to make
appropriate recommendations efficiently.
Once in motion, FTM™ programs become a practice of monitoring,
evaluating, making changes to the regimen, and circling back to monitoring again. Maintained for several months, healthy behaviors
become routine.
In some cases additional in-home workshops or visits
may be necessary for maintenance.
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