Chapter 6: Family Counseling Chapter 7: Group Work Chapter 8: Consultation and Supervision © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Couples and Family Counseling © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning  1800s: Charity Organization Societies and “Friendly Visitors” worked with poor family  Led to “social casework” –first time people were viewed systemically  Also, around same time, Alfred Adler began to see families and believed education could help alleviate problems in children  Until 1940s, families were generally not seen together due to pressure placed on therapist from the developing “individual approaches” to counseling © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning  A number of approaches developed around the 1950s:  Psychodyanmic: Ackerman; Boszormeyi-Nagy  Multigenerational: Bowen  Palo Alto: Bateson hired Haley, Weakland, Jackson, & Fry  Looked at communication in systems  Double-bind theory  Applied principles of systems and cybernetics  Out of Palo Alto came MRI  Jackson, Haley, Satir, Madanes  Focused on communication and family process © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning  Soon, people developed own theories  Satir: Human validation process model  Haley and Madanes: Strategic therapy  Whitaker: Experiential approach  Minuchin: Structural family therapy  1966: within MRI: Brief Family Therapy Center  Eventually led to solution-focused family therapy  1970s: Milan Group  More recently: Narrative family therapy (White and Epston) © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning   Today  Over 50 states have marriage and family licensure  Two main associations: AAMT and IAMFC (a division of ACA)  Accreditation Bodies ▪ COAMFTE ▪ CACREP Efficacy of family therapy now shown © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning  Twelve Assumptions Held by Most Family Counselors (see pp 192-193) © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning  Bertalanffy  Explains the interaction of all types of systems  Suprasystems  Subsystems  Interaction in one system affects all other systems © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning  Cybernetics  Control mechanism in systems  Regulatory process  Used to avoid disequilibrium in systems  Acts like thermostat  See Box 6.1, p 195 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning  Boundaries and Information Flow in Family Systems  Healthy system has semi-permeable boundaries  Unhealthy: rigid or diffuse boundaries  (See Box 6.2, p 196)  American culture allows for much variability in boundaries  However, as Box 6.2 shows, too much rigidity or permeability leads to dysfunction © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 10      All couples bring unfinished business to relationship Unfinished business can lead to discontent as couples blame each other for their projected problems Family members will sometimes focus on one member (rather than own problems) This takes focus off of self or relationship Families will often bring in the “scapegoat” or IP and state they “have” the problem © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 12   Stress  Stressful contact of one member with extrafamilial forces (e.g., difficulty at work)  Stressful contact of the whole family with extrafamilial forces (e.g., a natural disaster such as a hurricane)  Stress at transitional or developmental points in the family (e.g., puberty, midlife crises, retirement, aging)  Idiosyncratic (situational) stress (e.g., unexpected illness)  See Box 6.3 Developmental Issues: See Table 6.1 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 13      Believes that systems theory and cybernetics places too much emphasis on causal factors Social constructionists believe that couples and families “coconstruct” their understanding of who they are Construction of self occurs through ongoing dialogue and nonverbal interactions among people and broader culture Change, therefore occurs through conversation with counselor Together, counselor and clients co-construct a new meaningmaking system © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 14       Virginia Satir Humanist, one of the major theorists of 20th century Primary survival triad Four universal communication patterns: placater, blamer, computer, distracter Congruent, respectful, and caring parents yield healthy children Two well-known techniques  Complete a family life facto chronology  Family Sculpting © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 15       Salvadore Minuchin Interactional and Transactional Rules Boundaries Structure and Hierarchy Some Techniques  Joining  Mapping  Restructuring See Box 6.4, p 203 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 16         Arose out of Palo Alto Group and work of Milton Erickson Theorists: Jay Haley, Cloé Madanes, Milan group Focused on changing communication sequences No focus on feelings (except to help people feel better) Concerned with how power is dispersed in families Focuses mostly on presenting problem Haley's Stages: social, problem, interaction, goal-setting Some techniques  Telling client what to when (when client will it)  Telling them what to when knowing client will rebel  Giving a metaphor (see quote, bottom of p 205) © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 17 Boszormenyi-Nagy • Ways of relating passed down • Loyalties, Ledger of indebtedness and entitlements  Murray Bowen • Differentiation of self • Nuclear family emotional system • Undifferentiated ego mass (we pick people of same psychological health –see Box 6.5, p 209) • Family projection system • Individuals get triangulated • Used genograms (see Figure 6.1, p 208)  © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 18  Whitaker  Says he has no theory, but see basic tenets (p 209)  I-Thou relationship  Become genuine through interactions in therapy  See quotes top and middle of page 210 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 19      Robin Skynner and Nathan Ackerman Emphasis: How parents assist children through developmental stages Problems in each parent reflected through unconscious Couple explores how behaviors related to their own childhood Unfinished, unconscious problems become projected on family © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 20     Focused on symptom relief Highly structured Focus on behaviors and cognitions  Operant conditioning  Classical conditioning  Social learning (modeling)  Changing negative automatic thoughts  Integrates how problems get infused in family through the system A number of common elements in all that this approach (see pp 212) © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 21      Michael White and David Epston Goal: To recreate how family comes to understand itself Based on postmodernism, social constructivism, and narrative reasoning Deconstruct past narrative and construct new ones General guidelines, see p 213 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 22       Insoo Kim Bert and Steve de Shazer A pragmatic and future-oriented approach Based on social constructionism and post-modernism Assumes that clients can change quickly Focuses on solutions and use of problem free language See underlying assumptions, p 214 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 23  Points to consider when working with couples and families from nondominant groups—see p 215  Why are professional associations not being inclusive?  American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors  International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 24           Withholding treatment in order to see “whole” family Informed for “whole” family Confidentiality –can you assure it? Multiple (Dual) relationships—seeing a member individually and in the family? Individual or family counseling—which is better? Professional Associations: AAMFT, IAMFC Accreditation: CACREP; COAMFTE Credentialing: LMFT; NCA Knowing the law: child, spousal, family abuse; custody Insurance fraud: e.g., saying you’re seeing “1” member in family when you actually see whole family © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 25  Understanding Our Client’s Family, Understanding Our Family  To understand others, we need to understand self  We need to examine how our family affected us and how the impact of our families can affect the people with whom we work © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 26 [...]... Believes that systems theory and cybernetics places too much emphasis on causal factors Social constructionists believe that couples and families “coconstruct” their understanding of who they are Construction of self occurs through ongoing dialogue and nonverbal interactions among people and broader culture Change, therefore occurs through conversation with counselor Together, counselor and clients co-construct... division of Thomson Learning 15       Salvadore Minuchin Interactional and Transactional Rules Boundaries Structure and Hierarchy Some Techniques  Joining  Mapping  Restructuring See Box 6. 4, p 203 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 16         Arose out of Palo Alto Group and work of Milton Erickson Theorists: Jay Haley, Cloé Madanes, Milan group Focused on changing... business can lead to discontent as couples blame each other for their projected problems Family members will sometimes focus on one member (rather than own problems) This takes focus off of self or relationship Families will often bring in the “scapegoat” or IP and state they “have” the problem © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 12   Stress  Stressful contact of one member with... division of Thomson Learning 25  Understanding Our Client’s Family, Understanding Our Family  To understand others, we need to understand self  We need to examine how our family affected us and how the impact of our families can affect the people with whom we work © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 26 ... from nondominant groups—see p 215  Why are professional associations not being inclusive?  American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors  International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 24           Withholding treatment in order to see “whole” family Informed for “whole” family Confidentiality –can you assure... division of Thomson Learning 22       Insoo Kim Bert and Steve de Shazer A pragmatic and future-oriented approach Based on social constructionism and post-modernism Assumes that clients can change quickly Focuses on solutions and use of problem free language See underlying assumptions, p 214 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 23  Points to consider when working with couples and... Rules and Hierarchy  Universal rules  Idiosyncratic rules  Rules can be overt or covert  Rules often related to hierarchical structure  Communication theory  Watzlawick and others researched communication theory  See 10 communication tenets, p 197 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 11      All couples bring unfinished business to relationship Unfinished business can... individually and in the family? Individual or family counseling which is better? Professional Associations: AAMFT, IAMFC Accreditation: CACREP; COAMFTE Credentialing: LMFT; NCA Knowing the law: child, spousal, family abuse; custody Insurance fraud: e.g., saying you’re seeing “1” member in family when you actually see whole family © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 25  Understanding... problems get infused in family through the system A number of common elements in all that do this approach (see pp 212) © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 21      Michael White and David Epston Goal: To recreate how family comes to understand itself Based on postmodernism, social constructivism, and narrative reasoning Deconstruct past narrative and construct new ones General guidelines,... Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 18  Whitaker  Says he has no theory, but see basic tenets (p 209)  I-Thou relationship  Become genuine through interactions in therapy  See quotes top and middle of page 210 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 19      Robin Skynner and Nathan Ackerman Emphasis: How parents assist children through developmental stages Problems ... Understanding Our Client’s Family, Understanding Our Family  To understand others, we need to understand self  We need to examine how our family affected us and how the impact of our families can... model  Haley and Madanes: Strategic therapy  Whitaker: Experiential approach  Minuchin: Structural family therapy  1 966 : within MRI: Brief Family Therapy Center  Eventually led to solution-focused... Box 6. 4, p 203 © 2007 Thomson Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 16         Arose out of Palo Alto Group and work of Milton Erickson Theorists: Jay Haley, Cloé Madanes, Milan