A manual-based family intervention for families living with acquired brain or spinal cord injury: a qualitative study of families' experiences.

Acquiring an injury to the brain or spinal cord constitutes a severe life change for the entire family and therefore a family-centered approach in neurorehabilitation is crucial.As individuals with injury and their family members often feel disconnected during rehabilitation, healthcare professionals play a significant role in facilitating the family to share their experiences with each other to strengthen family cohesion.Not all families are aware of their need for support. Thus, healthcare professionals should pay particular attention to identify the individual family's needs for being supported.During conversations with families, healthcare professionals should focus on the balance between separateness and togetherness in the family system to support the families in achieving a balanced level of family cohesion.