Depression and family relationships: ideas for healing

Like a pebble that creates ripples when dropped into still water, depression is a health problem with an impact that reaches beyond the individual to touch family members. This health problem can limit the individual's ability to function and can create distress for loved ones. In this article, the authors present a clinical vignette about maternal depression to highlight the reciprocal nature of depression and family functioning. Family focused interventions based on the Calgary Family Intervention Model and the Illness Beliefs Model are presented and include psychoeducation, circular pattern diagrams, and therapeutic letters. The authors conclude the article with a discussion of implications for nursing practice.