Essay on Family Systems Theory

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.

Law of mass action ( Le Chatlier’s Law) – A system at equilibrium responds to a stress in such a way that it relieves that stress.

Family is the first structure that one becomes a part of and it has a huge impact on people’s life. Parents play an important part on a child’s development. Jess’s family had a significant impact on Jess’s emotional state. Hir parents did not give the love that a child would require from the beginning. Leslie Feinberg states, “My mother admitted she was afraid to touch me, except to pin on a diaper or stick a bottle in my mouth” (Feinberg 14). They treated hir as ze was different (?) .Another significant experience that Jess had in hir childhood was when

The family systems theory originated in the 1950’s by a man named Murray Bowen. He was a believer that within a family there is an emotional component that exists which influences the degree of separateness (differentiation of self) and togetherness (fusion) (Nugent, p. 179). According to Bowen, the differentiation of self is crucial for the entire family. A family that is dysfunctional becomes emotionally dependent on each other, in essence fusing together, and allowing them opportunities to lose their individual identities. He believes that this chokes their growth, maturity, and feelings for each other. Though, a family that is emotionally mature creates an effective balance of differentiation which allows togetherness to be maintained (Nugent, p. 179). When this happens, individual family members can show their individuality without becoming fused and still maintain consideration for others. Bowen further states how fusion can lead to the development something he calls triangles. Triangles are when two members of a family align, while a third becomes an outsider and a scapegoat (Nugent, p. 179). It is explained as two fused family members arguing with each other with one or the other bringing in a third family member to settle a locked conflict. The third member ends up taking sides with one of the arguing members and ends up becoming the scapegoat. Once the conflict becomes unbearable, a fourth person maybe drawn in to it forcing a realignment of the triangle. Bowen

When I consider family systems, I am reminded of a metaphor I heard while in undergraduate school about a mobile. A mobile is used to soothe an infant, normally placed above a crib or basinet. Each of its parts are in balance, when working correctly, however if one section becomes off balance the objects become out of sync. This is true with families. If each member of the family unit is doing their part, there is complete balance or homeostasis (Henson). This balance is viewed as a healthy family system. However, if one part of the unit becomes off balance, it disrupts the whole unit causing an unhealthy response with possible long term consequences. As families grow, each member plays an equally important role in the family unit. Children learn quickly the importance of relationships and adapt quickly to their environment. No one can deny the family unit is the most complex system in existence.

Deborah’s family system has had a great influence on her, in her relationships and her family as an adult. In particular, it will be shown that many of the behaviours that Deborah currently enacts are a result of the practice of homeostasis, that is, “the tendency for families to develop recurrent patterns of interaction which help them to maintain stability, particularly under stress” (Carr, 2012, n.p.). From completing this analysis, Deborah developed a new awareness of herself, her family dynamics and her

FST challenged the linear thinking of families as only a mother, father, child to include all those who influence the family system. Within FST circularity is a founding principle; patterns in a system are circular as opposed to linear (Minuchin, 1974). This theory challenged the much-held belief of cause and effect as promoting system homeostasis. Jackson (1957) studied family function and concluded that families will attempt to maintain homeostasis in their system by maintaining the circular pattern.

Chapter 3 Families and SocietyWhat stood out for me on Families in Society, was how the reading related families to an "ecosystem". Each family being an "organism", and contributing to creating a community or how the book states an "ecosystem". Family is a system, and in a system each individual experiences four fundamental concepts being "interaction", "stress", "coping, and "adaption". "Interaction" is how one person's actions affects another. "Stress" is when a person is affected by external forces such as biological factors or family dynamics. The last concept is "adaption"; when a person transitions from their environmental family views and way of life. (Wormer & Besthorn, 2017, p. 88 & 89 )The book explained how, "society is becoming

Throughout the years, the family dynamics has changed; as far as how each family member interacts with one another over preferences or who share common interests with one another. Although each family unit varies, family members must be cohesive this is where the family dynamics come into action. Difficult situations that families may encounter can cause a bit of imbalance within the family dynamics and are often described as dysfunctional, conflict of personal interest with one another can also be a factor or they disagree. Other times, families often argue over a family member who disapproves of what the other family member is doing with their life. Family dynamics is are not always powered by common interest and goals but rather some other

Introduction Many professions have their own system of ideas intended to explain situations, phenomenon, particularly one based on general philosophies independent of the thing to be explained. In social work, there are many theories that guide its practice. The social work theories are general explanations that are supported by evidence attained through the scientific method. However, this paper will focus on cognitive behavior therapy, solution-focused therapy, and Bowen extended family system therapy.

Family is portrayed in A Raisin in the Sun as an incredibly discrete unit that must project a certain image in the world. Within the family, relatives may quarrel, nag, and insult each other, but w...

The universe is not keep running by the handyman 's proverb by any means. Each time vitality is utilized, a specific sum is lost as warmth. Heat cools and is gone always, a

When reading Chapter 7 in the Social Development by Ross D. Parke and Alison Clarke-Stewart we got to learn about Families and their early and enduring influences. Before reading this chapter about families I started thinking about what I learned from the Family theories class about family and how they are structured. What I remembered from the class is that families are social unites in which the mother and father and their children share economic, social, and emotional rights and responsibilities. The Children look up to their parents for guidance to help them learn the skills and rules needed to function in today’s society. In the book they stated that family is a complex system involving interdependent members and subsystem who’s functioning

I have always thought of my family as a big system when I was younger. We were private and kept to ourselves most of the time. During events or parties my family held, I could not help but feel like my space was violated. As a student in college, I have had the opportunity to learn more about families and developed a deeper awareness of how my family influenced the way I felt during those situations. One of the theories that have been helpful in understanding to reiterate my family’s interactions and functions is the family system theory. It is described as “...an arrangement of entities, things that interact to achieve a shared purpose or fulfill functions as a whole and its interrelated parts” (Hardcastle, 2010). There are strengths

An open system has more freeing boundaries and has interchange between it and its environment, while a close system has more strict boundaries and has very little interchange between it and its environment.