...Family Counseling Approach: Structural Model Jennifer Tankard Liberty University Abstract Structural family therapist takes an approach to therapy that seeks to help the entire family rather than looking at the family member that has a presenting problem. Healthy families have a healthy balance within the family subset when clearly defined roles are present. Structural family therapy was developed by Salvador Minuchin and a team of researchers from New York. The techniques of the theory are centered on creating a healthy relationship among family members. Structural family therapist looks at creating a healthy partnership with each member of the family to help the family find a solution to their problem. Structural family therapy can be integrated with a biblical worldview. Counseling from a Christian perspective will help families understand God’s design for the family, and understand the role of each member as stated in scripture. Christian counselors using an integrative approach to structural therapy will be able to help families see the biblical roles that God has set for the husband/father, wife/mother and the children/siblings to develop a functional family. Keywords: Theory, intervention, psychosomatic, integration, structural therapy, dysfunction, family. Part I Introduction Everyone has a family. Each family is different in how the system functions. A family is defined in many different ways. Some consist of the traditional definition of father, mother...
Words: 4305 - Pages: 18
...Paper Structural Therapy was first recognized by Salvador Minuchin in the structural school of counseling back in 1974. Minuchin observed that families developed patterns within the family that resulted in structure. Each family operates with transactional patterns that represent a system. Structure is a mutual agreements made between people until someone decides that they want to go in another direction. Families have a process of verbal and nonverbal communication that amongst family members makes it easy to understand. The goal of structural therapy is to transform dysfunctional family structures by creating imbalance. The attempt is done by the therapist to influence the family into positive change. Ultimately, the goal for the family is to focus on having change to better balance. Family-Directed Structural Therapy (FDST) is an approach to family therapy built upon traditional concepts of Structural Family Therapy, the strengths model, and group work therapy. This therapy is focused on a multicultural population in the Midwest being researched the last 12 years. The diversity that the Midwest had was one of the better options for observation having the different cultures. Sessions are set and timed as the initial assessment generally requires one 90 minute session and then seven to nine sessions with a therapist. Therapist assists the family in incorporating the process and vocabulary of FDST into their everyday lives. Within the sessions the families take they...
Words: 453 - Pages: 2
...Family Systems Therapy Alexis M. Foote Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Family Systems Therapy 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 family system. The family systems perspective is rooted in the idea that the client’s behavior may do four things, the behavior may serve a purpose of function for the family, the behavior may be unintentionally maintained by the family, be a function of the family’s inability to operate productively, and lastly the behavior could be a symptom of dysfunctional patterns that have been handed down across generations (Corey, 2013). Alfred Alder was the first therapist to use family therapy in a systemic approach. Following him, Murray Bowen developed his Multigenerational Family Therapy approach to resolving problems in the family unit. He focuses on differentiation of self for individuals to reduce the chance for entanglement, which...
Words: 996 - Pages: 4
...are one of the major objectives of family counseling (Atwood , 1995 . Family counseling may help in promoting better relationship and understanding within a family (Berg , Sperry Carlson , 1999 . All families have conflicts or disagreements at times , and resolving their differences in a positive manner with respect to the interest and needs of each member is possible with the aid of family counseling approaches (Berg , Sperry Carlson 1999 . Different types of family counseling therapy can help in improving the lives of each family member with focus on different orientations , including the past family origin and early life difficulties , the present happenings which may either be satisfactory or unsatisfactory , their thoughts , behaviors , and emotions (Berg , Sperry Carlson , 1999 What causes the pain in the lives of family can be healed and have great potential to move into more productive ways through different family therapy approaches (Eisenberg , J Wahrman , 1991 . The Psychodynamic or Transgenerational Models , Cognitive Behavioral or Behavioral Models and Structural /Strategic /MRI Models are some of the more well-known family counseling approaches that will be explored and analyzed in this study (Eisenberg , J Wahrman , 1991 . Comparing and contrasting the Cognitive Behavioral Models of family therapy with other major models of family therapy can help better understand the family system 's boundaries , complementarities , family ties , capacity for change , and ability...
Words: 299 - Pages: 2
...FAMILY COUNSELING APPROACH RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS Part I: You are required to write a research paper/formal literature review in current APA format on 1 of the specific approaches to family counseling, (e.g., structural, psychoanalytic, Bowenian, experiential, etc.; i.e., not a technique). You will identify leading figures, historical and current events, assumptions, development of the theory, concepts, and techniques related to your chosen approach. You will also note any similarities or dissimilarities between the chosen theory and other leading theories, and you will identify any new knowledge you acquired through this assignment. You must have scholarly references, including books and journals that are written to or for scholars. You may use some non-scholarly materials; however, these may not be the bulk of your references. Do not use the Goldenberg & Goldenberg textbook as your primary reference. You must use a minimum of 12 sources cited in current APA format in both the body of your paper and your reference page. Part I of your paper requires a minimum of 6 pages. Part II: A personal integration section is required. This second section of your paper will be your attempt to integrate your own faith and family counseling approach. You may use whatever resources are necessary to complete this portion of the paper, including materials from the Ripley & Worthington textbook. Feel free to use additional books about integration or any materials you have found beneficial...
Words: 459 - Pages: 2
...Introduction Structural family therapy (SFT) is a method of psychotherapy developed by Salvador Minuchin which addresses problems in functioning within a family. Therapeutic interventions for troubled families often sound and appear unusual or abstract, such as Structural Family Therapy. This isn’t a name that instantly rolls off your tongue or a therapy you hear used frequently in the press or in movies, such as the more ubiquitous techniques of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. But SFT is similar to other types of therapies categorized under the psychological framework of family systems therapy. These types of therapies view the family unit as a system that lives and operates within larger systems, such as a culture, the community, and organizations. This system – ideally – grows and changes over time. But sometimes a family gets stuck, often resulting from behavioral or mental health issues of one of its family members. Rather than focus on the individual’s pathology, however, SFT considers problems in the family’s structure, a dysfunction in the way the family interacts or operates. SFT does not maintain that the family’s interactions, or “transactions” cause the pathology, but rather that the family’s transactions support or encourage the symptoms. Transactions are simply patterns of how family members routinely interact with each other. For example, a mother’s transaction with her daughter could be controlling and overprotective, or an older brother’s transaction with...
Words: 1151 - Pages: 5
...Genuineness are three great terms for counseling. Acceptance is the ability to see another person as exactly who they are and not try to make them into someone else. Empathy is the ability to understand the other person’s point of view both the content and emotions. Genuineness is the willingness to be you. When you are counseling I feel the need to let the person feel comfortable with who they are and try to understand how they are feeling and how they think. It also means accepting that the way they look at the world is real for them. The ability to take a break from your unique point of view and for a bit, step into another person’s vantage point, take a look around, see what that looks like, is very powerful and useful. 2. Multicultural counseling competencies are seeking programs specifically to improve ethnic and racial understanding. Multicultural counseling allows you to be aware of the key roles of the clients’ culture, identity, race, gender, and...
Words: 1107 - Pages: 5
...Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy by Gerald Corey Brooks/Cole, a division of Cengage Learning Theory Students: The following is an outline form of powerpoints produced by Gerald Corey, the textbook author, designed to accompany the textbook. Please note that the author is Gerald Corey and this work is produced by Cengage Learning, a division of Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. This work is copyrighted and can be reproduced and used only with the permission of the textbook company. The Therapeutic Relationship • The therapeutic relationship is an important component of effective counseling • The therapist as a person is a key part of the effectiveness of therapeutic treatments • Research shows that both the therapy relationship and the therapy used contribute to treatment outcome Theories of Counseling • Gerald Corey’s Perspective of Theories of Counseling: • No single model can explain all the facets of human experience o Eleven approaches to counseling and psychotherapy are discussed • Your textbook book assumes: o Students can begin to acquire a counseling style tailored to their own personality ▪ The process will take years ▪ Different theories are not “right” or “wrong” ▪ The Effective Counselor from the perspective of Gerald Corey • The most important instrument you have is YOU ▪ Your...
Words: 8395 - Pages: 34
...Capella University Course- HS 854- Child and Adolescent Counseling Topic: Project Case Study - Shayla Abstract This case study is about a 4 yr old African American boy whose parent is going through a contentious divorce. Shayla is a fraternal twin whose aggressive behavior in school has attracted the attention of teachers and parents to seek counseling. Using two theories (Developmental and Cognitive) to address client’s need, Shayla has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorder. The etiology of client’s behavior was determined including the strength and weakness of therapeutic approach. Shayla family unit was consider owing to the fact that her mother is African American and wanted to marry a Latino American. Due to the dynamic of Shayla’s family composition different family systems such as (systemic, traditional and strategic) were consider for proper adjustment. Proper diagnosis were assessed, reviewed and evaluated for mental health treatment team professionals to follow. There are ethical and legal guidelines associated with treatment such confidentiality, informed consent and right to privacy. Table of Content Project topic --------------------------- page 1 Abstract ----------------------------------page 2 Table of content -------------------------page 3 Theories...
Words: 3736 - Pages: 15
...Final Paper PY 570 Sevena McClain University of West Alabama March 6, 2015 Abstract Behavior problems within our youth have become a major problem in today’s society. In one (1) out of every three (3) families there is at least one (1) family that suffers more than others with this problem. There is a demand for help at making a difference in our at-risk adolescents and individuals who are willing to provide services for those that are suffering with behavior problems. The goal is to modify a model that can assist them in what society needs to help prevent at-risk adolescents from making repeated mistakes through a therapeutic process. There are many homes and schools that are in an uproar, because nothing is being done to help families that cannot afford the proper therapy they need to help them. The detention centers are over crowed as well as the prisons. With this being said, this paper will provide the information needed to assist with at-risk adolescents behavior problems that are causing them to be labeled at such an early age. The Behavior Approach with at-risk teens Upon graduation from the University of West Alabama, The author plan to continue her education and obtain her doctorate degree in counseling. After she succeed in her educational endeavors and work in her field of studies to obtain skills and knowledge, she would like become an entrepreneur. She has always dreamed of being her own boss. She plans to open a group home for troubled female adolescents...
Words: 2402 - Pages: 10
...Epidemiology: HIV/AIDS Grand Canyon University: NRS 427V-0101 July 27, 2014 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that can potentially lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The human body has the capability of clearing most viruses with T-cells or CD4 cells that are part of the immune system, but unlike most viruses, HIV is a virus the body cannot fight, it is for life. HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids such as semen, pre-seminal fluids, vaginal fluid, rectal fluids, blood, and breast milk of an infected person. (AIDS.gov, 2014) HIV can hide in the bodies’ cells for long periods of time and attack the key cells responsible for fighting infections and diseases. HIV leads to AIDS when the virus destroys and depletes the CD4 cells and leaves the body vulnerable to disease and infection. Symptoms of HIV will vary from individual to individual since there are different stages of the disease. Acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) occurs in the first two to four weeks after a person has been exposed and infected. Typical symptoms experienced are flu-like symptoms such as a rash, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, fever, sore throat, headache, and joint/muscle pain which can last a few days to weeks. Although ARS is common, not all people that are infected will experience the typical symptoms. After the initial symptoms of ARS, HIV can go unnoticed for years called the latency stage. The progression of AIDS occurs once the latency stage has depleted enough CD4 cells...
Words: 1698 - Pages: 7
...Professional Identity The school counseling profession has evolved over time into a collaborative model. This collaborative model involves teachers, school administrators, parents, counselors, other school personal, and community stakeholders. The first guidance program was developed in 1895. In 1926 New York became the first state to require guidance workers to be certified; in 1929 New York became the first state to have full time guidance workers. In 1952 the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA) was established, now known as American Counseling Association (ACA). In 1952 The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) was established. In 1958 the National Defense Education Act was passed, which increased training and hiring of school counselors. In 1964 NDEA Title A was passed, providing counseling to elementary schools. In 1997 ASCA published their National Standards, providing benchmarks for student’s competency in academic, career, and personal/social domains. In 2003 the ASCA National Model was published as a framework for school counseling programs it was revised in 2005 and 2012 (Erford, 2015). The collaborative model of school counseling is a cooperative process where the school counselor “helps others in the school community to think through problems and to develop skills that make them more effective in working with student” (Erford, 2015, p.35). Through this model the school counselor partners with parents, educators, and community resources and organizations...
Words: 5751 - Pages: 24
...Acer | Gender Violence | A case study on female infanticide and foeticide in Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, India | | Peace and conflict studies | Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Theory 3 2.1 Galtung’s violence triangle and structural violence and cultural violence 3 2.2 Gender Theory 5 2.3 Human rights 7 2.4 Women’s rights 8 2.5 Consumerism 10 2.6 Conflict resolution conflict transformation 10 3.0 Female infanticide and foeticide—background and case study 11 4.0 Discussion 16 4.1 Galtung and the violence triangle 16 4.2 Cultural violence 17 4.3 Structural violence 17 4.3 Conflict resolution 20 4.4 Conflict transformation. 21 5.0 Conclusion 23 Bibliography 25 7.0 Appendix 28 1.0 Introduction In 1991, UNICF reported that, due to foeticide, as many as 40 or 50 million girls are missing from the Indian population – a number which constitutes about five percent of the total population. The 'missing girls' is a huge problem in India today – some villages does not even have women at all. (Subhra Singh, The Times of India feb. 8th 2011, from the cencus in 2001) Sex selection in India is at a growing rate, and according to the census held in 2001, the sex ratio (number of females per thousand males) shows that there are great varieties in the numbers – from the lowest, with 591 (Daman) to the highest, Pondicherry, which has 1,147 females per 1000 males. The average sex ratio for whole of India the same year was 927 to 1000...
Words: 9680 - Pages: 39
...Structural family therapy (SFT) is a method of psychotherapy developed by Salvador Minuchin which addresses problems in functioning within a family. Structural Family Therapists strive to enter, or "join", the family system in therapy in order to understand the invisible rules which govern its functioning, map the relationships between family members or between subsets of the family, and ultimately disrupt dysfunctional relationships within the family, causing it to stabilize into healthier patterns.[1] Minuchin contends that pathology rests not in the individual, but within the family system. SFT utilizes, not only a special systems terminology, but also a means of depicting key family parameters diagrammatically. Its focus is on the structure of the family, including its various substructures. In this regard, Minuchin is a follower of systems and communication theory, since his structures are defined by transactions among interrelated systems within the family. He subscribes to the systems notions of wholeness and equifinality, both of which are critical to his notion of change. An essential trait of SFT is that the therapist actually enters, or "joins", with the family system as a catalyst for positive change. Joining with a family is a goal of the therapist early on in his or her therapeutic relationship with the family. Structural and Strategic therapy are important therapeutic models to identify as many therapists use these models as the bases for treatment. Each model...
Words: 1894 - Pages: 8
...HIV/AIDS Affect on the African American Community Nicole Donald Capella University HIV/AIDS Affect on the African American Community HIV/AIDS is prevalent in the African American community. African Americans are among the highest risk group for contracting HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has been an issue in the African-American community for a number of years. This learner will provide a general overview on the ethnic population under study but will have a particular focus on black heterosexual men for the purpose contributing to the much lacking knowledge base on this particular population subset. Problem Statement The topic of HIV/AIDS is relevant to mental health counseling because this disease can have a devastating effect on the psyche of any human being suffering with this illness. Many minority teens and adults have a passive attitude when it comes to HIV/AIDS, and when confronted with the issue, they need to have access to the proper channels for information and support. Over 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV infection, and approximately 56,000 new HIV infections are reported every year in the United States alone (Kamen, et al., 2012). Black heterosexual men (BHM) are seldom mentioned in HIV prevention research, policy, and interventions, despite evidence that heterosexual contact is becoming the leading exposure category for BHM (Bowleg & Raj, 2012). It is important to identify the risk factors and treatments available for African Americans with HIV/AIDS...
Words: 4234 - Pages: 17