...Abstract There are mutual influences between an individual and their social environment. There are also at-risk factors involved in the life of a developing adolescent that interconnects with a series of reciprocal systems. I can recall as a developing adolescent quickly maturing into adulthood, the many social, economic, external and internal influences that contributed to certain at-risk behaviors. These type of influences impacted me directly and indirectly. I was influenced by the several environments I was in, and I also contributed to influencing the environment around me. Attempting to exert control over uncontrollable circumstances only lead to desperate situations and weighty consequences. However, learning to accept my present circumstances, and how to appropriately respond to the hardship and temptations in life developed positive life changes. Analysis 1 Individual human development occurs within interconnected and embedded ecological systems (McWhirter et al, 2013). The ecological systems include the individual, the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, and macrosystem (McWhirter et al, 2013). The individual consists of genetic and biological factors, and personality characteristics (McWhirter et al, 2013). The microsystem consists of the people that the individual comes into direct contact with and who the individual interacts with (McWhirter et al, 2013). The mesosystem is the embedded interconnections between different microsystems and the impact of...
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...Model of Marriage and Family Therapy Paper Dindy Williams BSHS/312 APRIL 4, 2011 Sharla Hansen Circumplex Model of Marriage and Family Therapy Paper The Circumplex Model of Marriage and Family Systems was developed in an attempt to bridge the gap between research, theory and practice. The model, together with the assessment tools developed to use with it, are specially designed to assess the functionality of families and develop a treatment plan. The hypothesis of the Circumplex Model is that balanced couple and family systems tend to function better than unbalanced systems. Cohesion, flexibility, and communication are the three dimensions of the Circumplex model. These dimensions were the ones most commonly used out of a cluster of over 50 different concepts describing marital and family structure. A variety of other family models independently focused on similar variables relating to cohesion, flexibility, and communication. These models have been developed in the past 25 years by theorists using a family systems perspective. The theorists concluded that these dimensions were critical to treating families. “Family cohesion is defined as the emotional bonding that family members have towards one another” (Olsen, D. H., 2000, May). Emotional bonding, boundaries, coalitions, time space, friends, decision making, interests, and recreation are some of the concepts used to measure the degree of cohesion within the Circumplex Model. The focus of cohesion is how families balance...
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...Meeting for Staff Member with Anger Jennifer Ford, Lillian Webster, Mekala Marbella, Vicki Tipton, Terrilyne Kabua, Arabel Perez University of Phoenix CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY: I certify that the attached paper, which was produced for the class identified above, is my original work and has not previously been submitted by me or by anyone else for any class. I further declare that I have cited all sources from which I used language, ideas and information, whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased, and that any and all assistance of any kind, which I received while producing this paper, has been acknowledged in the References section. This paper includes no trademarked material, logos, or images from the Internet, which I do not have written permission to include. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have the same validity as my handwritten signature. Student's signature (name typed here is equivalent to a signature): Jennifer Ford, Lillian Webster, Mekala Marbella, Vicki Tipton, Arabel Perez,Terrilyne Kabua , Meeting for Staff Member with Anger Jennifer Ford, Lillian Webster, Mekala Marbella, Vicki Tipton, Arabel Perez, Terrilyne Kabua BSHS/322 January 29, 2011 Tristram Jones Staff Member with Negative Conduct Currently there is anger executed from a staff member who hinders others performances during work because of frictions he causes during proceedings. This member is making relationships...
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...ABSTRACT Due to the many challenges that couples and families are faced with, they may find themselves dealing with problems and situations that they are unsure how to resolve. It is during this time, couples or families may seek out the help of marriage therapist. The purpose of this paper is to examine a brief history and the development of marriage and family therapy, and its importance to the counseling field. Five aspects of this field will be discussed: roles of marriage and family therapist, training and licensure requirements, techniques used in marriage and family therapy, client or therapist initiated termination, and confidentiality. Also, important elements of counselor identity, function, and ethics related to marriage family therapy will also be discussed. The author will also provide biblical values and insights related to the field of marriage and family therapy. In conclusion, the author will discuss their commitment to provide biblically- Keywords: family therapy, marriage therapy Marriage and Family Therapy Because of the many challenges families are faced with, marriage and family therapy has received increased attention. Overtime, the family structure has become more diverse. Families are no longer your typical nuclear family, where Father, Mother, and children live under one roof. At the present time, families may consist of step-parents, step-children, grandparents, adopted children, single parents, aunts and uncles, and same-sex couples...
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...Marriage and Family Therapist John Doe University of Southern Mississippi Upon entering into college I never really knew what I wanted to major in. I have always felt the desire to help people. I was fortunate enough to be able to work with troubled teens in a Psychiatric facility, and that experience influenced my decision to major in psychology. One of my major concerns was trying to figure out what I really wanted to do with a Psychology degree, and once decided if I would have to enroll into graduate school to further my education. With that being said, would I have the appropriate grade point average or could I pass the Graduate Record Examination in order to get into graduate school? The career that I decided to research is the Marriage and family therapist. Marriage and family therapist (LMFT) diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems (A Comparative Analysis, 2008). A Comparative Analysis found that LMFT apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of professional services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders (2008). Therapy usually consists of talk sessions, asting about an hour. Using techniques learned in classrooms and in fieldwork, counselors guide their clients through a series of conversations that reveal their...
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...Licensure Requirements Research Brittany Daniels Liberty University Licensure Requirements for a Marriage and Family Therapist According to MFT-License.com (n.d.) in Colorado the certification of licensure requirements for a Marriage and Family Therapist include a Marriage and Family Therapy Education at the Master’s or Doctoral level. The program must be approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy or it must be judge equivalent to such a program. The program itself should be a sequenced course of study that consists of examinations and grades, and it should include at least 45 semester hours of course work if the degree was conferred in or after 1979. The program will also require a course of study that is required to contain 9 semester hours in each of the following areas: human development, marital and family studies, and marital and family therapy. Research and professional studies must also account for 3 semester hours in the program. Along with these program and education requirements Colorado also uses a licensing exam that has been created by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards. A candidate to take the licensing exam is allowed to take the exam as early as their final semester in school. An online Jurisprudence exam is required as well. After passing the exam a candidate must also complete work under a supervisor before license can be obtained. This supervisor makes sure that the candidate is...
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...being a police officer, a doctor, a singer, or in my case- a cashier. However it is not until we hit our adolescence that our perception of what we really want to do drastically changes to sometimes more realistic things like being a hair stylist or dental assistant. Our perceptions change into things that are more reachable for the realization of what we once wanted to be takes much more to get there than initially realized. It was not until I met with my counselor and realized that without her help I would not be here today. It then became clear that I wanted to help others through therapy and be able to look back on my life and realize I had done some good in this world to benefit others in their relationships. I located an article in the University of Phoenix library titled, "Sex Addiction and Marriage and Family Therapy: Facilitating individual and relationship healing through couple therapy." I will further summarize the article, explain how this career aligns with my professional interests, and describe how I would develop my skills in this field based on the information in the article and the readings. This article overall relates the role of recent internet-based sexual behaviors and how it has resulted in those addicts having easier access to feed their sex addiction, creating new sex addicts who were never before, and the impact of such sex addiction on the addict, partner, and the couple (Bird, 2006). Not only has the internet opened the door to current addicts...
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...Principle I Responsibility to Clients Marriage and family therapists advance the welfare of families and individuals. They respect the rights of those persons seeking their assistance, and make reasonable efforts to ensure that their services are used appropriately. 1.1 Non-Discrimination. Marriage and family therapists provide professional assistance to persons without discrimination on the basis of race, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, gender, health status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or relationship status. 1.2 Informed Consent. Marriage and family therapists obtain appropriate informed consent to therapy or related procedures and use language that is reasonably understandable to clients. The content of informed consent may vary depending upon the client and treatment plan; however, informed consent generally necessitates that the client: (a) has the capacity to consent; (b) has been adequately informed of significant information concerning treatment processes and procedures; (c) has been adequately informed of potential risks and benefits of treatments for which generally recognized standards do not yet exist; (d) has freely and without undue influence expressed consent; and (e) has provided consent that is appropriately documented. When persons, due to age or mental status, are legally incapable of giving informed consent, marriage and family therapists obtain informed permission from a legally authorized person...
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...the way we approach therapy. In chapter two Corey and Corey discuss various subjects that could incite strong moral attitudes and they encourage self-exploration when different case studies are presented. Family structures are varied and come in a variety of shapes and forms. In this paper I will examine my own views of the family value system and in what ways the different case studies challenge my life view and how I would proceed counseling these patients. Family Values The family system is diverse and comes in different shapes and forms. Family can be defined as the people with whom we surround ourselves. They are the people who love and support us while we navigate the world. Families are living organisms that change and they require nurturing to keep from dying. Although I do believe that keeping the family unit together is important, I understand that it is not always the best choice for the individuals involved. Traditional families and non-traditional families can equally be as nurturing and loving. The traditional family is no longer the norm. Every circumstance, every family and each individual in that family is going to have a different view and expectation. As a woman and a mother, I approach family issues from that point of view. This view point could play an important role in the way I counsel an individual or a family regarding major changes and decisions, i.e. divorce, relocation, etc. Although I do believe that as a family group each individual...
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...Running head: COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Abstract Counseling has been in existence from the beginning of time. From Jethro to Freud, therapists and philosophers have been seeking insight into the core of human nature and cognitions. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT) recognizes that faulty cognitions and beliefs affect the behaviors of individuals. One method of cognitive-behavior therapy, reality therapy, incorporates the concepts of free choice and personal responsibility that are taught both in Scripture and Dr. William Glasser’s choice theory. Other aspects of CBT, such as cognitive restructuring and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), also work towards eliminating negativistic attitudes of clients in exchange for more effective and realistic methods for interpreting the situations experienced in daily life. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy It is suggested that an individual’s personality is a complex system of cognition, emotion, will, physiology, and spirituality. Hawkins proposes nine aspects of the human self to be active influences on one’s personality: “body, cognition, feelings, volition, human spirit, Holy Spirit, sin/flesh/SAS, temporal systems, and spiritual systems (Hawkins COUN507_BO1_200920). Each therapist individually determines what factors they believe to make up a person’s being. Larry Crabb views humans as involving both the physical and spiritual aspects of man...
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...Quandary When you look at the case of the husband who started individual counseling then his wife joined with the intentions of saving their marriage there are many ethical issues that could arise for the therapist. First there is the issue of the secret the husband is hiding about his latest affair, because the counselor did not clearly state her policy on keeping secrets the husband has an expectation of her keeping his secret about his affair. The therapist cannot tell the wife without breaking the confidentiality of the husband, however how can she continue to treat them as a couple if she has to hold this information from the wife when part of the condition for the wife to work on fixing their marriage is based on no further affairs from her husband? The therapist also believes that having an affair interferes with her ability to help the couple and on a personal ethical level she thinks it is wrong, however she must keep her personal feelings out of her sessions with the couple. Either she must continue to treat the couple or refer them to someone else, if she chooses to refer them to someone else she is faced with either telling the wife why or lying to her, either way she would be going against the ethical standards that she has to uphold. According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (2001) “Marriage and family therapists have unique confidentiality concerns because the client in a therapeutic relationship may be more than one person. Therapists respect...
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...Experiential Family Group Therapy Experiential Family Group Therapy Melanie Davis Columbia College In today’s world, many people seek professional therapy or counseling for a limited amount of time in order to deal with different life crises, they may experience. Others seek professional help for the majority of their lives in order to deal with a psychological disorder. Earlier this year I was served with divorce papers. This entitles me to long hours of counseling, to help me understand and deal with my situation. Although I have had some marriage counseling in the past, the majority has been subsequent to being diagnosed with depression. I have done individual counseling, marriage and family counseling too. And most recently, I am currently taking a course titled Working with Groups, at Columbia College. It discusses the different types of therapy. Needless to say, it is very interesting to know the different "features" of group therapy and the different therapy techniques, and be able to recognize and better understand certain therapy sessions. All of the information on the different types of therapies has helped me to more fully understand my own personal life crises and situations. This brings me to Experiential Family Therapy. Experiential therapy comes from the humanistic side of psychology, which focuses on the immediate, here-and-now experience. This paper will give a brief background of Family Therapy and critique the various family systems approaches dealing...
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...protect, and cultural considerations. Responsibility to Client |Organization |Responsibility to client | |National Organization of Human Services (NOHS) |Expanding professional development opportunities. Enhancing internal and external communications. Nurturing the financial | | |sustainability and growth of the organization. Promoting professional and organizational identity through certification | |American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) |Advocacy efforts involving the profession of marriage and family therapy. AAMFT participates in numerous coalitions and | | |collaborates with many organizations with similar initiatives such as Medicare inclusion, scope of practice protection, and | | |military services. | |National Association of Social Workers (NASW)...
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...Course Syllabus COUN 601 Marriage & Family Counseling I Course Description A consideration of the dynamics of marriage and family relationships is given. The emphasis is on under-standing the structure and function of marriage, the various aspects of the marital relationship, family systems, and ways the counselor may approach marriage and family counseling as a creative, preventative, and healing ministry. Rationale This course is designed to cover the numerous and varied marriage and family theories as well as the history of marriage and family therapy. The information in this class is designed to equip counselor trainees for practice and to successfully complete the licensure exam. Counseling 601 is a required course in the 48 and 60-hour licensure programs and is intended to introduce students to the concept and philosophy of marriage and family therapy. Students will be required to understand the systems philosophy and six major theoretical frameworks within the marriage and family therapy field. Students will understand such core content areas as: marriage and family history, key theoretical figures, ethics and legal matters, counseling issues, some techniques, current trends, and future themes. This is the first marriage and family course, thus it is designed to teach foundational materials necessary to pass state licensure examinations. For a more in-depth and deeper level of understanding, demonstration and skill development, the COUN 602 class may...
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...when counseling blended families by focusing on the family dynamic system. Blended families or step-families are becoming more prevalent in the United States each year. The number of divorces has continued to rise in the United States, which has caused the rate of couples remarrying to increase as well. Blended families usually result from different life circumstances such, as past relationships, divorces, deaths, and separations. At times blended families are faced with many challenges, and these challenges can cause significant problems within the new relationships. Some of the problems are due to different parenting styles. Children are having to readjust to a new lifestyle and getting along with stepparents or siblings can put an obstacle into the new relationship. Family counseling provides blended families with an opportunity and a platform for voicing their feelings and learning ways to accommodate each other within the family. Keywords: Blended families, counseling, divorce, remarriage, children, separation, parenting style, step-siblings, and widowing. Blended Family Counseling Introduction Blended families are becoming accepted in today’s society, and many families are merging together as one. Gonzales (2009) defined blended family as two couples coming together into a new relationship with one or more children from a previous relationship. Customarily, the primary family structure consisted of a two-parent household. The head of the family was led by a husband...
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