Children and adolescents face multiple challenges as a result of attempting to adhere to the norms of their youth culture. Discuss.

Family Therapy

Elaine Skrdlant

Walden University

Family Therapy

Structural Family Therapy embraces my own theoretical beliefs and values. This approach is strength-based; outcome orientated and embraces the ecosystems perspective. The underpinnings of structural family therapy is the assumption that strengths are a component of every family system and the therapist’s role is to mobilize these underutilized skills therefore improving the transitions between family members and their social environments.

Structural Family Therapy does not focus in areas of pathology, dysfunction, diseases and diagnosis; but centers around strengths and resiliency of family systems. Ligon (2015 p. 207) asserts that ” the strengths approach, acknowledges that the client system possess knowledge, abilities, resilience, coping and problem-solving skills that are there to be employed by the therapist.” Therefore, the therapist assists family systems to identify their strengths and then build on these for addressing their identified issues.

Aponte and Kissil (2015) confers that the family therapist pays attention to the structural of family relationships and the effects this has on the presenting issue. The three basic structural features inherit to all family systems include boundaries, alignments and power. The mode of operando in this therapy process is an active approach where use of self in the spiritual and emotional sense.

The challenges for implementing this approach includes identifying the power structure of the family relationship and accurately assessing the interaction patterns. Another noted concern would include focusing on the immediate issue rather than focusing on the bigger problems within this system. Since the ability to bring changes to the family’s dynamics is relevant to clinician being able to emerge oneself within the family system, practitioners must connect to the emotions and issues concerning the family system at this time.

In order to meet these challenges, additional training including observation of structural family therapy sessions would provide insight to how this process works effectively. I would utilize supervision and gain insight to my skill level and suggestions for improvement in the following family therapy sessions. I would also set up mock family sessions with colleagues as a method to assess and develop skills needed to be a successful therapist.

The strengths perspective is an approach that I implement within individuals and families that I currently service. However, before attending graduate school, I was unaware that this was a theory utilized in the social work profession. Services provided to families, especially those involved with the Department of Human Services, centers around engagement and identifying and developing skills within the family system.

The establishment of the treatment plan enables the family to begin the process of reducing the dysfunctional communication patterns and enhance their ability to resolve problems in an appropriate manner. The techniques selected included teaching family members communication skills, problem-solving skills, cognitive restructuring skills as method for assisting them in their development of healthy communication styles. Good Therapy Organization stipulates that the inability of family members to communicate is a source of relationship problems and teaching these enhance their level of functioning.

The other intervention strategy utilized would include developing a genogram to explore communication problems that have passed down from the parent’s family of origin. The Genogram is a means of adapting identified family strengths and family resources for both assessment and intervention strategies.

Social and psychological theories provide a framework for analyzing and assessing family strengths, and weaknesses, Family therapist’s perception of this issue will influence the development of family treatment plans and intervention strategies. However, utilizing an eclectic approach in therapy sessions enables the clinician to ensure that the best techniques implemented for the client system.

References

Aponte, H. J., & Kissil, K. (2015). Structural Family Therapy. In K. Corcoran & A. R. Roberts (Eds.), Social Worker’ Desk Reference (3 ed.pp. 430-438). New York: Oxford University Press. 201506102016411506331682Aponte H J Kissil K 2015 Social Worker’ Desk Reference

Ligon, J. (2015). Fundamentals of Brief Therapy. In K. Corcoran & A. R. Roberts (Eds.), Social Workers’ Desk Reference (3 ed.pp. 205-209). New York: Oxford University Press. 201506101952491102684379Ligon J 2015 Social Workers’ Desk Reference

Theory-based treatment planning, the type you will use throughout this course, is informed and guided by your theoretical orientation. Incorporating your theoretical orientation into treatment planning will help you set goals and choose treatment techniques and interventions appropriate for the client(s) you serve (Gehart & Tuttle, 2003). This week, you apply two counseling theories, Bowenian and structural, to formulate your treatment planning and apply appropriate interventions.

In this Assignment, you watch videos of counselors demonstrating the use of Bowenian and structural theories in family counseling. You then formulate treatment plans for the couples and/or families in the videos, applying the theories in question and justifying the use of appropriate interventions.

The Assignment (2–3 pages)

Based on the theory demonstrated in both videos:

Define the problem in each video.
Create a theory-based treatment plan, including short- and long-term goals for the couples and/or families.
Explain two theory-based interventions you would use and justify your selection.
Explain one anticipated outcome of each theory-based intervention.

Support your Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the resources for this course.

Submit your assignment by Day 3.

To submit your Assignment, do the following:

Save your Assignment as a “.doc” file with the filename “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.doc”. For example, Sally Ride’s filename would be “WK2AssgnRideS.doc”.
To upload your Assignment, click on Assignments on the course navigation menu, and then click the “Assignment Turnitin – Week 2” link.

Children and adolescents face multiple challenges as a result of attempting to adhere to the norms of their youth culture. For example, an adolescent attending a party might feel pressured by friends to use drugs or drink alcohol. As a future child and adolescent clinician, you must develop empathy and understanding of the pressures and expectations of adhering to child and adolescent cultural norms and the various ways adhering to these norms might affect a child or adolescent.

For this Assignment, from the list of suggested films in this week’s resources, select a film depicting contemporary child or adolescent culture. As you view the film you selected, consider the types and amount of challenges the children or adolescents faced in the film. Consider how the challenges might have an impact on your ability to develop empathy as a child and adolescent clinician.

The Assignment (2–3 pages):

Based on the film, explain threechallenges children or adolescents faced while attempting to adhere to and/or cope with normative youth culture and why you chose these challenges.
Explain twoways you might develop empathy related to the children and/or adolescents in the film. Be specific.
Explain oneway you might address one of the challenges children or adolescents faced in the film and how. Justify your response.
Explain any insights you had related to your understanding of contemporary youth culture based on the film you selected. Also, include an explanation of how your understanding of youth culture in the film may help you be an effective child and adolescent clinician. Be specific.

Support your Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the week’s resources for this course.

Based on the unique issues related to youth culture, what might you find challenging when maintaining confidentiality as an ethical issue when working with children and adolescents? How might you balance the rights of the parents/guardians and the rights of the child and/or adolescents?

References

Good Therapy Organization Communication ProblemsGood Therapy Organization. (n.d.). Communication Problems. Retrieved June 11, 2015, from http://goodtherapy.org/therapy-for-communication-issues.html# 20150613152247762901664