Family Therapy Paper

The family system is founded on the notions that for change to occur in the life of an individual, the therapist must understand and work with the family as a whole. In working with the family, the therapist can understand how the individual in counseling functions within his family system and how the client’s behaviors connect to other people in the family. This theory also holds the perception that symptoms are a set of family habits and patterns passed down by generation and not a result of a psychological problem or an inability to change (Corey, 2017). Furthermore, the family system theory holds the idea that when a change occurs everyone in the unit is affected by the change.

Their family (system) pursued treatment with the impression that Claudia was tearing their family apart. The therapists, in this case, quickly noticed this behavior and in response, began to assistance the family to understand how each of the members were participating in this behavior. Applying the components to the Brice family’s situation from the article, Bowen Family Systems Theory and Practice: Illustration and Critique, to the major goals the family systems theory is, first, the individuals in the family must each become aware of emotional systems function and second, increase differentiation, where individuals begin to make individual changes instead of trying to change each other (Brown,

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) in training are tasked with helping a family work through conflict and arrive and more intimate and interdependent relationships, which can seem daunting or maybe even terrifying. However, the interaction patterns that show up in families can find some context and clarity for a therapist who knows systems theory. Systems theory suggests that individuals cannot be understood in isolation from their family context because families create relational processes and generate a “sequence of interactions” and behaviors in order to maintain dynamic stability of the self-regulating family system (Nichols, 2013, pp. 58-59). How does this general systems theory help an MFT guide a family in therapy? In this paper I will take three systems theory principles and apply them to a movie in order to demonstrate how it provides a language and context for MFTs, thus making it an essential tool in family therapy.

Social systems are persons or groups of people interacting and mutually influencing each other’s behavior. According to systems theory, the client would be considered as the focal system (e.g., the primary system of interest) or the holon (e.g., the social entity; simultaneously apart of the whole). The client’s family members would be considered as the subsystems (e.g., composite parts) and their community would comprise the suprasystem (e.g., larger systems), in which they are a part of. A father giving his son advice about life is an example of a subsystem interaction. These types of healthy interactions condition the child to believe that the parent is the driving force within their life, which influences the child as they

The systems Perspective sees human behavior as the outcome of interactions within and among systems with interrelated and interdependent parts; as defined by its boundaries. Changing one part of the system affects other parts and the whole system, with predictable patterns of behavior (Hutchinson, 2015). The family system has been a widely used theory of family interventions and assessment. The family systems theory is focused on the family dynamic, involving structures, roles, communication patterns, boundaries, and power relation (Rothbaum, 2004). Many theorist such as Bowen, developed the systems theory that focuses on how a

Rooted in systems theory, Murray Bowen’s Bowen family systems therapy acknowledges the family as a multigenerational emotional system (Nichols, 2013). This model perceives the family as an interconnected network of emotional reactivity that shapes family dynamics and interaction patterns. Bowen proposed eight interlocking concepts to elucidate familial patterns: differentiation of self, triangles, nuclear family emotional system, family projection process, multigenerational transmission process, emotional cutoff, sibling position, and societal emotional process (Nichols, 2013). It also views families through an individual and collective lens, assessing how members’ emotionally driven

The process of individual therapeutic treatment will often result in heavy invocation of intimate personal relationships, formative experiences and conflict management. These characteristics would ultimately lead to the evolution of family systems therapy, a mode of treatment which recognizes the inherency that familial patterns and inter-relations possess where counseling and treatment are concerned. The school of though revolving around the family systems ideology would naturally blossom into a wide variance of strategic schools of thought, differing practically and philosophically but all share the common ground of emphasizing the impact of family on the presence of complex and the role that family must play in treatment thereof. It is thus that the discussion here offers a concise assessment of some major offshoot models such as the Bowen Theory, the Cognitive Behavioral Model, Attachment-Focused Family Therapy and Individual Therapy. Each of these is channeled through a family systems lens, with the traits distinguishing them from one another considered in further detail here below.

Systemic family therapy is an approach that works with families and those who are in close relationships to foster change. These changes are viewed in terms of the systems of interaction between each person in the family (Jude, 2015).

Divorce can be one of the hardest conflicts to overcome in any family troubles. From children’s actions in and outside of school, Parents having trouble settling for who gets what, or who take care of the children, Or little conflicts such as where do boundaries and relationship stands. But overall there’s always a solution to problem such as this one. As this paper explain the two standard Community based support services. The West Chester therapy Group and West Chester University own Counseling & Psychological Services. Here are services that can help you.

I will educate Kelly’s family about depression and how it affects Kelly. I will start by explaining that depression is a mental illness that affects many people. Depression is a brain imbalance that involve neurotransmitters like Serotonin and Norepinephrine. Depression cause Kelly to have mood regulation problems that are outside her will.

Bowen family systems theory and therapy techniques are one in the same with regards to conceptualization. Theory and therapy operate on a continuum and not as a dichotomy. According to Bowen family system theory, patterns are repeated throughout past generations and continue in the present, which is termed multigenerational transmission process. It is important to examine and correct patterns otherwise they are continuously repeated in future generation. Early life experiences with bonding and attachment are relevant to the memories and patterns of interaction between family members and are influential to current levels of functioning.

Integration. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be a launching pad for families to begin employing practical steps to reach their relational goals. As the family is guided to recognize current dysfunctional core beliefs that exist within their system, they can be guided to see how these beliefs have cyclically shaped their interactions and intrapersonal dialogue. Once the origin of schemas is uncovered, the family can move to instituting new beliefs and patterns of interacting to redefine how the family functions and relates. Experiential theory could be a helpful tool to begin the schema-uncovering process while the cognitive restructuring applied through cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used to transition the clients from knowing the current schemas to developing and maintaining new ones. The goal of this transition is best articulated in systems theory as differentiation of self and relational balance. These theories work together to balance give and take in family relationships as well as allow members to articulate what they need that give and take to look like.

Structural Family Therapy (SFT) was developed by Salvador Munich. It is a method of psychotherapy that addresses the problems in the functioning within a family. SFT enhances emphasis on the homeostasis, subsystems, boundaries, and coalitions as they relate to the organization and functioning of a family. (Sommers-Flanagan, 2012) SFT concepts help understand that family is a structure made of subsystems and boundaries that work together in coalition. The general idea of a family’s structure can be obtained by observing each family member’s actions. Family structure is based on the family member’s different and repeated interactions that can establish lasting patterns and enhance expectations. (Sommers-Flanagan, 2012) The subsystems of a family perform different tasks per the family requirements. The family subsystems are based on gender, age group, role functions, and common interests. The subsystems can be spouses (wife and husband),

The metaframeworks perspective extracts concepts from various modalities that complement its unique way of dealing with systems, while unburdening itself from the constraints of previous models. Metaframeworks places emphasis on six separate domains that is believed to assist a therapist in understanding the client. Metaframeworks draws from family systems theory, when observing an individual, but it expands family systems in order to include the individual’s internal processes (EFEF). Metaframeworks holds the position that family systems thinking has made the therapist focus on either the entire family, the subsystems of the family system, or the family’s interactions with systems besides its own (EEEE). By pairing the external and internal

1. Discuss several ways in which family systems theory can help clients understand their behavior. The Family systems theory helps the therapist and the client to understand any strengths and weaknesses of the client by investigating the family dynamics, rules and roles. Families helps to shape and form our self-identity and how we view ourselves which affect our lives directly.