What is MST and how can it help me?
MST stands for Multi Systemic Therapy, a new way of helping young people, like you, make the kind of changes which will improve your life.
How does it work?
MST works by involving your whole family or carers and together with a therapist, the family plan ways of improving the things that matter to you all. Things like how you get on with your family, your friends, schoolwork, and keeping on the right side of the law.
MST looks at the areas of your life which could do with changing for the better and setting achievable goals. It will help the family to feel better about itself and give you the skills you need to make changes – and stick to them.
How long will it take?
Your MST programme will last from 3 to 5 months and during this time your family or carers, sometimes with you, will meet with the therapist at your home or at another place for an hour or so several times a week.
The Therapist will be in telephone contact with your family between visits. This may seem like a lot of time but once you start the programme and things begin to improve, you’ll see the benefit of regular support.
What will happen?
Your MST Therapist will work with you and your parents to find out all the areas of your life that need improving. Each of you will be able to say what you would like to achieve and how you want things to be different.
It means as a family you will all be able to see when things are going well and when you might need a bit of extra help.
You’ll know you won’t be tackling problems on your own and that the whole family is right behind you.
Who else will be involved?
Your parents or carers will keep in touch with other people in your life, like your teachers, social worker or YOS worker if you have one, youth club leader and possibly the police.
Some of these people may continue to support you once your MST programme has ended.