Family Therapy as a Psychological Intervention

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 therapy is a form of psychotherapy employed to assist members of a family in improving communication systems, conflict resolution, and to help the family to deal with certain problems that manifest in the behavior of members. In most cases, deviance in a family member is an indication of underlying family dysfunctions. This paper looks the counselling procedure that can be applied to help the Kline family solve their problems. It answers certain questions including those of the expected challenges during therapy and ways of dealing with the challenges.

My first assumption of family therapy was to involve the parents and the individual that had the problem. This book explored further what it

Family therapy, (equally recognized or referred to as marriage and family therapy, couple and family therapy, family systems therapy and even family counseling), is a form of treatment (psychotherapy) that promotes growth, development and change within families and/or couples who are personally involved. With that being said, this distinct form of therapy has a tendency of observing change in terms of the structures of communication or interaction between members of the family as well as does it ultimately highlight relationships within the family as a rather substantial component regarding psychological health. Through placing such emphasis on the qualitative relationships of all families, we will compare two therapies/therapists in particular,

From the first scene of Wonder (2017) it is evident that the family observed, or the Pullmans, had a genuine intent to support the system while playing specific roles. In internal family systems therapy (IFS), each of these parts is valuable, has good intentions, and wants to play a positive role in the system (Kayij-Wint, 2017). Schwartz (2013) defined the IFS view of the mind as, “...a dynamic system comprising many sub-minds, called parts known as exiles, managers, and firefighters” (p. 807). For this reason the authors will analyze the family through the lens of IFS focusing on the maladaptive symptoms that disrupt the Self, and the parts each individual embodied due to

Research by Pharoah, Mari, Rathbone, and Wong (2008), suggest that family psychosocial strategies and interventions can be beneficial for both the individual diagnosed with schizophrenia and their families. According to Pharoah et al. (2008), the main benefits of such interventions are decreasing the risk of relapse, medication compliance, and lessening family burden, along with possibly reducing re-hospitalization or length of hospital stays.

Family systems therapy is based on the concept that individuals are best understood through evaluating the entire family. Symptoms in individuals are seen as a result in dysfunctions in their family system. The family is an interactional unit and a change in one member affects all members. Family therapists believe that an individual’s relations with family have more impact in their lives than anyone could. The family therapist uses the systemic perspective, it believes that individuals may carry a symptom from the entire family, and an individual’s functioning is an outward sign of the way a family functions.

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

Family therapy is substantial; it offers different techniques such as resolving conflict within a family system. Price, Price, and Mckenry (2010) comments on refreshing the family, this allows each family member to rely on one another working towards change. According to Nichols, (2014) family therapy can be the greatest source of support for health crisis, marital conflict, mental sickness, or teenage rebellion threatening to rip a family asunder.

Family therapy What is family therapy? Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy that is done to minimize the stress and incompatibility by upgrading the type of communication among the family members. It is designed to locate the problems and factors that are affecting the overall functioning of the family. It can be used with the families who are going through a difficult period of time, major transition or any mental or behavioral problem with the family members.

Family therapy provides for family members a means of improving communication and resolving conflict. This form of therapy attempts to determine individual’s behavior by closely examining one’s interactions with their family of origin, as well as current family. This interactive analysis is conducted to examine the patterns of behavior during familial interactions to determine dysfunctional behavior that challenge family cohesiveness. Family member behavior, if negative can perpetuate the problems leading to family dysfunction. To reduce and ultimately eliminate family dysfunction, family therapy is suggested as a means of determining and understanding the cause of the family dysfunction leading to resolution. The following research paper will analyze the Bowenian family system theory and its approach to family counseling. In the analysis of the Bowenian family system theory, the theory will be closely defined by identifying the leading figures of the theories development and a historical background of the theory. Further analysis will outline the similarities and differences of the Bowenian family system theory with other leading theories and will conclude with a personal evaluation of the integration of faith and the Bowenian approach in family counseling as a licensed Christian Counselor.

There are several theories to consider when doing family therapy. This writer will look into aspects of Cognitive Behavior Theory (CBT) and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT) in family therapy setting. CBT has been a popular form of therapy used in many settings. Early models of this mention that emotions and actions are mediated by special cognitions. There is a reason for behaviors and understanding those reasons will help alleviate the undesired behavior. It was not until recently that CBT has been used in a family setting. Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a new and increasingly used therapeutic approach that focuses on helping clients construct solutions rather than solve problems. The approach evolved in a clinical context amid many

The family therapy approaches to domestic violence have primarily focused on the intrapersonal aspects of the family dynamic rather than taking a systematic view of inclusive underlying stressors that stem from different classifications such as: race, class, gender, etc. (Bograd, 1999). The intersectionality of these different classifications is vital in attempting to understand the family’s struggle with domestic violence. The intersectionality of these different classifications takes into account the social configuration of who is identified as the victim and who is identified as the perpetrator when examining the family’s relational issues; and these different classifications are essential in understanding the overall culture of the family

Hi Sally, I’m glad to be in class with you again. I hope you had a good few weeks off. I have never experienced family therapy but it is one area I do have a limited interest in. Because of my family life growing up I want to help children that are caught in the middle of divorce and stepfamilies. There are times the kids fall through the cracks as the parents move on with their new lives. Nichols (2014) refers to interpersonal context that the closeness between family members can cause a person’s behavior to influence their interaction with in the family (58).

Family therapy has contributed considerably to better understand the experiences of children and families; also the therapy will help us to find different ways in how to educate children and family in how to cope with stressful situations. However, family therapy helps to alleviate most of the stressful situation in a family, professionals including myself are struggling to understand the experience of the children in the process of family therapy. The research that I was able to read it does not reflect an extensive information about how the process of family therapy takes into account the family therapy positive. It is unsure about the negatives or positives outcomes of the family therapy on children. Conclusively, professionals need to take