Reflection About A Family Therapist

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.

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 image of a perfect family has been a staple for popular television shows and commercials hawking everything from luncheon meat to microwaveable TV dinners. It is a far reaching concept known by almost anyone living in the country, all over the world and people considering immigrating to the US. It is a fabricated dream, which does not truly exist. It is merely a false goal, striving to achieve this standard, and the aesthetic of the lifestyle is one which has been heavily marketed and changes frequently with the times. Sports utility vehicles, pristine lawns, massive backyards and home security systems are marketed as necessities for the modern American

In life many individuals will experience the joys of marital bliss with the pleasure of happiness when they see their spouse, the thought of living their entire lives together, starting and raising a family, the process of buying their first home together as a married couple, and overall embarking on a new and profound journey with the one they love; on the contrary however many of these same couples will encounter times in the relationship and within their immediate family that will include feelings of: being overwhelmed, stressed, annoyed with their spouse, children, stepchildren “as many families are blended due to many first marriages ending in divorce after children have been conceived,” stress from work, bills, as well as the many other

The counselor will ask questions to clarify and summarize the family’s concerns. I will answer any questions and address any concerns raised by the family about the therapy process. I will also assist in laying down parental authority and a sense of impartiality among the children. This will reinstate equilibrium in the family and motivate all members to participate in the therapy.

Marriage and family therapists believe that the family patterns may affect an individual’s psychological and physical well being and therefore need to be part of therapy. During a therapy session even if only one person is being interviewed, the therapists focuses on a set of relationships that the person is embedded in. The entire family is involved in solving clients problems regardless of whether the issue in individual or family.

They are on a regular diet with few restrictions on fried foods and fat intake. The children eat school lunch and the parents from outside restaurant choices. Mom tries to cook a meal a day after work or they seldom eat Subway or Pizza Hut. No variation in weight gain or weight loss reported. They try to eat dinner as a family at home on a regular basis. However, this was not feasible all of the time due to dad’s late night work hours and CH basketball practices after school. They generally get 6-7 hours of sleep per night and denied any sleep deprivation. No exercise program has been implemented by this family. CH is the only physically, athletic member. DH stated that he likes to ride his bike. The children are active in Sunday school and participate in summer camp.

There are a number of theories under the Family Systems Therapy group that focus on communication patterns within the family unit. Systems theory is based on the family’s response to feedback from one another and the desire of the group to make changes to maintain the status quo. In the family system we discover who we are, we grow and change, and we give and receive support that is necessary for survival (Corey, 2013). A number of theories exist based on various approaches, but the theory behind them is that families are SYSTEMS of interconnected and interdependent individuals and to understand the individual, we must understand the

The direct role of the strategic family therapist is more invasive than any other therapist. In the strategic family therapy the therapist spends most of their time giving attention directly to the family to focus on their challenges. The role of the strategic family therapist provides solutions to the client’s issues. As a strategic family therapist it important that the therapist focuses on the core issues within the family. The therapists will start interventions based on the needs of the family. The main concerns of the strategic therapist are the functionality of the family. The basic role of the therapist is problem solving in therapeutic sessions. This will enable the therapist to motivate family members to work towards

At the end of any educational journey, we all have a dream or a goal for our professional career. My dream is to work with children by working with the family as a whole. By starting with Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), I can educate myself on the workings and dynamics of a healthy family. Understanding how family roles interact, support, and distract from healthy behaviors are the foundation for prescribing tools and techniques to help a family better interact and relate to one another. Through MFT, a counselor can bring families closer together while overcoming emotional walls and challenges through effective communication and listening.

therapy aims to improve family relations, and the family is encouraged to become a type of

Family therapists sometimes work in drug centers, medical centers and health practices as well as those that are privately owned. Their job settings consist of a place where families can come meet with the family therapist throughout the day and week. The hours of work are decided by the family therapist, but there are some situations when they can be flexible. Those appointments are set up in advance to make sure that there aren't any double bookings. Therapists also have be able to handle stressfull encounters while in sessions with their clients. Sometimes they will encounter emotional and physical tension while doing a therapy session. So the family therapists will need to be one whom

As a narrative therapist with this particular family the goal would be to be an empathic listener and touch on the key facts they describe as part of their narrative to unravel and mend the dilemma that brought them into therapy.

In social work, families are vital for understanding clients as they interact with one another and realize how the dynamics of the family are affecting one another. The explanation of these behaviors can set the stage for what the social worker will be addressing and helping with. In using the systems perspective, you can see how all areas of life effect one another. Families then, in regards especially to my own, get integrated in a variety of ways.

A family health assessment is a significant instrument in conveying a health care plan for a family. This paper will discuss the nurse’s role in family assessment and how this task is performed. By the use of family focused open ended questions, 11 functional health patterns were covered. The health patterns were values and health perception, nutrition, sleep and rest, elimination, activities and exercise, cognitive, sensory-perception, self-perception, role relationship, sexuality, and coping. This principle is known as the Gordon’s functional health patterns. Family health assessment defines the assessment of actual and potential problems of individuals (Gordon, 1994). This assessment tool included 11 systematic principles for data collection of the family, and assists the nurses to develop a nursing diagnosis and appropriate interventions. Using Gordon’s functional health patterns, this paper will summarize the findings of each health pattern as well as the family based nursing diagnosis of each assessment. This paper will also discuss different health promotion strategies along with web-based resources, also including a system based theory guide in family assessment.