Family Therapy
For the past decades, family therapy also outlined as couple therapy has been helpful in the family set-up. The conceptual framework of family therapy is remarkable in that it assists families experiencing various problems for instance, if a child is experiencing social and academic problems. According to Hong (2005), family therapy based its concept on the fact that, any change or illness in the family affects both the victim and the family structure. With this in mind, family therapists assist family members to identify anxieties and conflicts and in so doing, develop approaches to resolve them. In the first section of this paper, we will describe the couple or family in question and in doing will present the major problem that drives the couple to seek the family therapy.
Section 1
Brief Overview of the Couple and the Presenting Problem
Lisa, a 39-year old and her husband, Tam, a 42 year old Vietnamese Canadian man have been experiencing problems with their relationship. As indicated, Lisa states that she has been feeling depressed and overwhelmed by her 14-year-old son, Jimmy who has a behavior problem. Jimmy has been missing homework assignments and occasionally skipping classes. Emma who is another child in the family is reserved and she does not seem to have behavioral difficulties. Nevertheless, she seems to be psychologically affected during the initial interview of the family. During the interview, it becomes evident that there are marital tensions between the wife and her husband. The wife blames the husband as the cause of their child behavior disorder while the husband blames his wife claiming that her high stress level and short temper are causing stress in the rest of the family members.
Based on the case study, the presenting problem is that the couple has marital tensions, which are in turn affecting the rest of the family members. When asked what might be the root issue of the problem, the couple shifts the blame to each other. Their relationship seems to be unstable and as a result, the couple particularly the husband feels that he is fully in charge of his life. The husband portrays his dissatisfaction in the relationship in that he spends more time playing online poker games than he does with his family. To some extent, the man is not fully responsible as he ought to be and this explains why he feels that he has the right to do what he wished in his free time. When interviewed, the wife affirms that her husband’s behavior is a financial drain on the family and betrayed the entire family emotionally.
From the case study, it is evident that Tam who works as a software programmer seems to be neglecting his duties as a husband and father. Tam is spending less time with the family, which in turn affects the wife and children. Lisa feels depressed and emotionally betrayed by her husband. A study done by Young (2010) indicates that, women crave for love from their husband while husband craves for respect. It is no wonder various religions such as Christianity beseech husband to fully love their wife while wives to fully submit to their husbands. Women are attention seekers and thus, most would do anything to get attention and love. However, if the husband fails to love his wife it severely affects her emotionally and psychologically. In this case, Lisa may be feeling depressed and overwhelmed at the fact that Tam is spending less time with the family, thus giving less intimacy. This explains why the wife has high stress level. With this in mind, the children are affected in that their dad rarely spends time with them and their mother who they would count on is emotionally affected. This explains why Jimmy is having trouble in school and portraying some behavior disorders such as punching other students while Emma seems to have social problems or disorders. As indicated, she seems to be shy, lack confidence, and with low-self esteem.
In my opinion, I believe that the main purpose that brought the family in for therapy is the misunderstanding between the couple and children’s behavioral problems. In this case, as I question the family on their structure patterns of communication, it is evident that the family does not relate well with each other. This creates a platform to understand the root issue of the family conflicts and behavior disorders. This creates a platform to comprehend that any change that occur in one individual in the family affects the entire family. To support this argument, Young (2010) argues that health experts who utilizes family therapy in caring and examining conflict in the family, always consider how each member of the family behaves. During the therapy session, the further information that emerges is that the husband is offset by his wife’s high stress level and temper, which he claims to be the root cause of stress in the rest of the family members. In this case, the husbands reveals that he is running away from her wife who happens to have an undesirable character and it’s no wonder the husband is spending more time playing online poker games than with the family. From the case, it is obvious that the couple is in great need of family therapy to learn about themselves and how their family operates. Family therapy will be sued successfully be used to treat the couple experiencing conflict in their relationship, Jimmy who has school and behavior problems, and Emma who has difficulties getting along or interacting with others.
Section 2
Models of Family Therapy
The two different models of family therapy that I would apply to the case are therapeutic behavioral model and cognitive therapy model. Adopting the behavioral therapy would effectively be used through the application of learning theory principles to change the undesired clients’ behavior. In this case, all family members will be considered as clients since they are all seeking ways to change their maladaptive and problematic behavior. In attempting to understand the root cause of the family conflicts, I would apply various techniques used in behavioral therapy. First, I would highlight and analyze behaviors, which are unwanted and those that are changing. In this case, I would apply techniques and approaches based on learning to eliminate and reduce undesirable reactions. Secondly, I would apply learning technique of therapy exposure that in turn, would bring relief and a state of relaxation. In essence, this would create a platform for the family members to comprehend the importance of changing their undesirable behaviors for the benefit of the entire family. Eventually, this would enhance a clear thinking and better conclusion of changing the undesirable behaviors.
The second model I would apply in this case is a cognitive therapy model where I would use the cognitive restructuring technique (Hong, 2009). This model would create a platform for the family members to cope with all conditions of stressful conditions and events. While applying, I would consider what experts have researched on this model. Now, according to Hawes (2007), it is complex to use this model without the assistance or help of a therapist. This is because most people think they are doing the right thing while in the actual sense they are not. In the mentioned case, it is obvious that the family is blaming each other as the cause of the stressful events in the family. The husband is blaming the wife while the wife is blaming the husband. By applying cognitive restructuring technique, each family member would accept his blame and instead of shifting the blame to the other part works on it. The husband would realize that the family needs him and thus, should spare his time with his family members. On the other hand, the wife would realize that the husband is discontent and dissatisfied with her reactions to situations thus, the wife would establish the need to change her reactions. The cognitive restructuring technique would create a platform for the each family member to write his or her thoughts, articulate the context of his thoughts, and the possible consequences of his actions. This would help each family member to understand whether or not their actions are affecting the entire family.
To effectively define the problem in the family, it would be wise to utilize conceptualization and treatment plan using the mentioned models. In this case study, conceptualization refers to how a therapist working within that model would define the problem in the family using the two model concepts. Conceptualization creates great insights on what would the therapist say is the problem in the family and couple, or highlight reason why things are not working well currently. On the other hand, treatment planning refers to what a therapist working within that case would believe should be done. With these definitions in mind, the following section provides a comprehensive analysis of the conceptualization plan.
Assuming that what brought the family and the couple in for therapy is misunderstanding between the couple and children’s behavioral problems, I would utilize various model concepts to define the problem or the reason things are not working well in the family. From the case study, it is evident that the wife expresses a lot of anxieties, fears, and concerns for her child’s behavioral problem. As indicated in the case, Lisa states that she has been feeling depressed and overwhelmed by her son Jimmy who has been having academic and behavior problems. Lisa blaims her husband as the cause of Jimmy’s problem claiming that the husband spends less time with the family. Nevertheless, Tam feels that it is his wife’s high stress level and short temper that are causing stress in the rest of the family members.
Since the case outline that there is a family crisis, I would go into a therapeutic behavioral model and cognitive therapy model to define the exact problem in the family and reasons things are not working well for children. The first part of the case conceptualization would be gathering much information about the couple such as their communication in marriage, the present problems in their affair, and the couple’s perception about their children behavioral and acadmic problem. This information would help analyze the couple behavior, which in turn, would indicate or explain why Jimmy has behavioural and academic problem. To test whether the couple has a stable communication in their marriage, I would give them a test that would demand them to communicate to each other to complete the task successfully. For instance, I would request the couple to highlight their goals in the family and how they intend to enhance the best in their children well-being. I would watch and analyze the couple conducts to define the problem and reasons things re not working well in the family. From this case study, one would predict that the couple would not have an effective communication while completing the test. Both would feel that the other party is responsible for the family crisis and problems currently occurring.
The second component of conceptualization would be selecting the appropriate diagnosis for each family members based on the information collected in the first step. In this case, it would plausible to have more than one diagnosis to explore the psychological and emotional factors that may be causing family conflicts and affecting children’s conducts. With the diagnosis process of therapeutic behavioral model and cognitive therapy model, I would effectively work hard towards analyzing the couple behavior and therafter highlight how the couple would learn to live with each other in love, harmony, and unity.
After analysing the family case study, the primary issue affecting the couple is breakdown of communication. The husband has a strong sense of control, which makes him feel that he has the right to do what he does during his free time. He fails to attend to her children and his wife and this deteriorate the relationship. As the fatherly love towards the children decreases, it affects children emotionally and psychologically. Since the father has relinquished his role as a father and a husband, Jimmy has behavioral difficulties and academic problems. On the other hand, Emma seems not to get along with other people and this indicates that she is affected by the marital tensions between the parents. When Emma answers a question with one word, it presents the concern of her dissatisfaction with the parents’ relationship. To some extent, the daughter is affected by her mother’s frustration towards Jimmy’s behavior. Because Tam spends most of his free time playing online poker games, the children have not had an opportunity to interact with their father. As a result, the children have not had the opportunity or the chance to nurture their self emotionally, psychologically, and socially among others. Based on the fact that the mother is affected by Jimmy’s problem, it is obvious that the mother is not effectively parenting as she ought to do. The father who in this case is the sole authority figure is both perceived by the wife and children as ruthless and cold. With this in mind, the boundary between the husband and wife deter genuine contact and communication between them. As a result, this affects children who in this case lack the opportunity to interact with their parents. With these problems in mind, this research has focused on the following treatment plan.
The first short-term plan is rebuilding the wife and husband relationship. For this plan to be effective, their assignment or homework will be to have a date at least once a week to strengthen their relationship and communication. Additionally, the couple will benefit from counselling session once per month to regain effective communication in their marriage. The second treatment plan will be to rebuild the relationship between the children and parents. For this plan to be effective, I will ensure that the family spend at least four hours per week in a pleasant environment that will allow them to engage effectively in interpersonal communication. Still, each family member will be given a chance to air his or her thoughts on how to rebuild the family relationship. Lastly, the long term goal of this family therapy is to re-establish parental love where both the husband and wife will have a role in parenting. The indications that will reveal the couple and family’s progress will be if the husband and wife are relating well and fulfil their duties as parents and when children expresses their satisfaction and fulfillment about the positive transformation in their family.
Section 3
The Similarities And Differences Of The Two Models
As mentioned in section 2, the two models that I would use in this case are therapeutic behavioral model and cognitive therapy model. In this section, this paper will highlights the differences and similarities of the two models. According to Goldenberg & Goldenberg (1996),
the cognitive therapy model is a form of therapy established by Dr. Aaron Beck in, which the client and therapist work as a team to recognize and solve problems. In this case, therapists assist clients to conquer their problems by changing their behavior, emotional, and thinking responses. Cognitive therapy is a comprehensive model in, which treatment is supported by the theory of personality and psychopathology. Cognitive therapy has been effective in treating various disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
On the other hand, behavior therapy model also referred as psychotherapy is a model that helps therapists to distinguish behaviors that are unwanted and desirable. This model involves recognizing unwanted behavior and after recognizing them, replaces those conducts with health forms of actions. This model helps clients to replace the unwanted behaviors with health conducts. The model treats various conditions such as depression, personality, and anxiety disorder (Skowren, 2000).
To sum up, the model I think would be most effective for treating this case is a behavior therapy model. This is because the model creates a platform for the client to be aware of their dispute and possible impacts. Through this model, the family would be in a better position to reinforce desirable habits for the benefit of the family. Despite the couple blaming each other, each one would have an opportunity to have a clear thinking and a conclusion through self-evaluation. The husband would realize that he has an undesirable habit of spending more time playing online games than he does with his family. Still, the wife would be relaxed and in a better way to accomplish her duties as a mother and a wife. With this in mind, this model would create great insights into the family on how to be responsible over every conduct.
References
Goldenberg, I., & Goldenberg, H. (1996). Family therapy: An overview. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole.
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]