Enter family-focused therapy, a treatment Miklowitz initially devised for families of bipolar patients but which is now also applied to those of unipolar patients. It aims to reduce expressed emotion by educating families about depression, training them in communication skills, and boosting their problem-solving skills. Since the early nineties, three studies have demonstrated that it dramatically reduces the relapse rate. A major national trial of the treatment program in bipolar disorder is underway.
"The idea of psychoeducation is just starting to hit the market," observes Miklowitz. "Family education should be part of the treatment, especially for recurrent disorders like depression."
