Couples In Stepfamilies: A Psychological Analysis

For this assignment, two different theoretical approaches will be discussed, Bowenian family therapy and structural family therapy, and they will be used individually to construct a treatment plan to help clients reach their goals. Within each treatment plan discussed, short-term and long-term goals of therapy will be established and the family’s presenting problems will be defined. Two techniques that will be assigned to help them reach their therapeutic goals and any expected outcome from using those techniques will be discussed.

Family is something that plays a tremendous role in our life. Even though the structure of families has changed over the years, it is important to acknowledge that there many families out there whether they are traditional families, nuclear family, stepfamilies or others which tend to have different types of problems in their families. Therefore, many families attempt to go to family therapy in order for them to obtain help in solving the different types of issues they might have at home. As stated in the book Family Therapy by Michael P. Nichols (2013), “The power of family therapy derives from bringing parents and children together to transform their interaction… What keeps people stuck in their inability to see their own participation in the problems that plague them. With eyes fixed firmly on what recalcitrant others are doing, it’s hard for most people to see the patterns that bind them together. The family therapist’s job is to give them a wake-up call” (2013).

The family dynamics in Max Apple’s “Stepdaughters” and Amy Tan’s “A Pair of Tickets” displays some of the issues that parents, stepparents and teenagers may or may not experience. A mother’s relationship with her children has a very unique connection, especially when it comes our daughters. Being a mother or stepmother is a problematical and rewarding experience: nevertheless, a mother’s love is unconditional. How do you except someone for his or her choices on being different? Is it easier for a step-parent to see things more clearly that the biological parent? Every family has its issues. When it’s a blended family with mothers, fathers, stepchildren and other family member, those issues can become more complex to understand.

The movie I chose for my Sociological movie analysis was “Step Brothers”. The main plot line of the movie was about two families; one with a mother named Nancy at about retirement age with a thirty-nine-year-old son named Brennan who had never left home and hadn’t had many jobs, and the other family was a father named Robert of about the same age with a forty-year-old son named Dale who attended college until his junior year, but then dropped out moving back in with his dad having occasional jobs as well. Nancy attended a conference where Robert gave a speech which caused them to meet, fall in love, and get married. Nancy and Brennan moved into Robert’s home where Brennan and Dale do not “connect” and cause lots of problems. Eventually, they

Therapists basically explore avoidances, thoughts, feelings, relationships and life experiences. A patient sometimes may be aware of his condition but not be able to escape or explain it. Through the analysis of a patient’s early experiences of attachment figures and how they have affect him, he will be able to free himself from the bonds of past. To accomplish that, the psychodynamic therapy, focuses on interpersonal relations, on the affect and expression of emotions helping the patients through discussion to describe feelings which are troubling them and they do not recognise. Patients usually attempt to avoid distressing thoughts and feelings. At some cases, they present avoidance, defence and resistance by missing sessions or change the topic when certain ides arise. They also view the therapist with suspicion because they may have feelings of disapproval, rejection or even abandonment. This kind of therapy based on research has shown that leads to on-going change, even after it has ended.(Jonathan Shedler, American Psychologists;University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; February–March 2010)

The purpose of this paper is to examine the field of marriage and family counseling beginning with the history and development of the profession and its importance in the field of counseling. This paper will also evaluate five major themes relevant to Marriage and Family Therapy which include: roles of Marriage and Family Therapists; licensure requirements and examinations; methods of supervision; client advocacy; multiculturalism and diversity. The author will discuss significant aspects to the field of Marriage and Family Therapy such as MFT identity, function, and ethics of the profession. This paper will assess biblical values in relation to Marriage and Family Therapists and to the field

Functional and dysfunctional families are two different family settings that can cause conflict for the story.

A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. JAMES D. GIBSON FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR CO 5740 INTRODUCTION TO MARRIAGE AND FAMILY COUNSELING

Deal (2014) uses his professional clinical experiences as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor combined with his professional experience in local church ministry and family ministry consulting to create the book The smart stepfamily: Seven steps to a healthy family. Deal (2014) purpose of writing this book is to help the blended families understand and learn how to integrate or merge the two families into a healthy successful stepfamily (p 21-22). Deal (2014) is straightforward about integrating a stepfamily is a difficult task for today’s families since it involves merging two distinctive family histories, styles, numerous personalities, preference, traditions, relational past and loyalties. He highlights

Becvar, D. & Becvar R. (2009). Family therapy: a systemic integration. (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Approaches to Family Therapy: Minuchin, Haley, Bowen, & Whitaker Treating families in therapy can be a complex undertaking for a therapist, as they are dealing not only with a group of individuals but also with an overall system. Throughout history several key theorists have attempted to demystify the challenges families face and construct approaches to treatment. However, there have been key similarities and differences among the theoretical orientations along the way. While some have simply broadened or expanded from existing theories, others have stood in stark

The case that I will be presenting today is comprised of a married heterosexual couple seeking couple’s therapy. Lisa, 32 year old, Caucasian, female and Cody, 32 year old, Caucasian male have been married for 10 years and currently have two twin boys of the age of two. The couple bought their first house and moved to Turner Falls, Massachusetts from Santa Cruz California a couple of years ago. The move was due to Lisa’s pregnancy, as the two of them wished to be closer to Cody’s family for support.

I had the privilege of attending the discernment training provided by the NHAMFT on October 2, 2015. I was astounded to learn that 30% of couples entering into couple’s therapy are mixed-agenda couples (Doherty, 2011). According to the speaker, Rachel Zamore (2015), mixed-agenda couples are unsuccessful with couple’s therapy because they are “half-hearted.” Meaning one person is “leaning in” and one person is “leaning out” of the relationship. She continued to explain that because therapists lacked the models and protocols to deal with these couples, they were literally falling through the cracks due to the lack of effective support.

In a sociological perspective, family is interpreted as a social group whose members are bound by legal, biological, or emotional ties or a combination of all three. The sociological theories the connect to this concept are functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionalism. First, functionalism states that the family socializes children, it provides emotional and practical support for its members, and it provides its members with a social identity. Secondly, conflict theory states that members create disagreements, and create emotional support and comfort. Finally, symbolic interactionism claims family members and intimate couples interact on a daily basis. "Families are defined as a relationship by blood, marriage, or affection" (Seccombe 5).

The origins of disturbance and dissatisfied growth are caused my repeated empathetic failures (Berzoff et al., 2011). The client displays lack of empathy to others since he did not meet the necessary elements to have empathy for others. When assisting clients with their psychological development skills during therapy, according to Kohut, empathy is a significant clinical tool to use during sessions (Berzoff et al., 2011). Furthermore, Kuhot postulates that an empathic environment can provide the psychological nutrients and substance that are essential for mental health (Berzoff et al., 2011). In order to assist the client, the therapist must explore the essential pieces from the three poles and therapist would support three poles as the tripolar, self-consisting of: the grandiose self, the idealized imago, and the twinship. The therapist would provide a healthy environment to help the client have a secure base and feel empathic to help him overcome the triggers from his traumatic experiences. Furthermore, the role of the therapist must represent the self-object for client and help him explore how to express his feelings and to discover his inner self. The client needs a parental figure to feel confident of the self and the therapist was able to fulfill this position. The therapist must work through these elements so the client will increase the