We've all felt a sense of incompetence, at times even panic, when highly challenging families--those with destructive relationships, suicide, psychosis, substance and physical abuse, and sexual abuse--seem impervious to all our efforts to help. What if the key to success at these times is who the therapist is, rather than his/her interventions? In this workshop, we'll focus on how therapists can use themselves creatively to engage such families, disrupt symptomatic cycles, and elicit their hidden competencies. We'll explore ways of embracing the anxiety and aggression triggered within us in the therapeutic process and helping family members channel their intensity more effectively. We'll discuss how to be honest and direct with such families, and stay "in the moment," while maintaining your own integrity. (This session will continue with Workshop 510.)