Exploring the Impact of Relational Perspective in Therapy

The totality for working from a relational perspective cannot be easily defined. To find the totality of something you need to find the whole of it. The benefit of relationships is critical in any successful therapeutic intervention (Konrad pg. 17.) Jean Baker Miller’s idea was that relationships play a key part with children and families. Relational principles are critical in the healing process of all people (Konrad pg. 1). The use of relational perspective is a way of examining of our views as humans also how they can shape how our personal and professional lives. It can also light how we see the world. (Konrad pg. 2) If someone who is able to take and engage in their own wellbeing and have a positive everlasting change in their own lives then this can radiate to other people and communities (Konrad pg.2)

The relational perspective values relationships among people, mainly children and the relationships or bonds they have with adults in their lives (Konrad, pg.

7) Children can never be viewed as part of a group. They must be viewed as a single, distinct, little person. It is vital to have attachments to the adults in their lives through positive growth and change in a system of relationships (Konrad pg., 14)
In order to follow the paradigm of working from a relational perspective someone would need to follow the principles that children are resilient, be able to see the whole picture, the relationships forged with children is ever changing, evidence based knowledge is one of the many tools to understand working with children, and reflexivity as a quality to have. (Konrad. Pg. 13),
We have to take the totality of what we know from the psychological, environmental, biological, spiritual, financial, cultural, and social parts of someone life. We need to be reflexive to be able to have a trusting client patient relationship that produces healing and growth together from all aspects of one’s life that one could not do

alone.
An example of working from a relational perspective is a six year walks into a counseling center with a woman who is much too old to be her mother. She hugs her hand tight and doesn’t want to leave her side. The little girl looks around and observing all she sees. The older woman checks her in and the still down together and engross into the magazine on the table. A worker in an open office sees the little girl and suspects that his her next client. She stops and sees the little girl smile and laugh as the older woman sings a song to her. The little girl is cuddled up, happy and at peace. The workers looks and wonders is this a trusting relationship the child has with this lady? What key factors are in the child life that assures her it is ok?
The worker also wonders who the older women is as the child is white and the women is Asian. She thinks she might be a friend, or a foster parent. The worker decides to stop assuming as this would lead to conclusions that cannot be supported. The work also sees bruises on the child’s wrist, and underdeveloped for her age. The worker put in a note to check family medical history as she could have anemia or a bone disorder.
The little girl looks up and see the workers staring. The worker grabs the folder and looks away. She finds this little girl engaging and wants to get to the meeting. The workers view is not what is wrong but knows the evidence is needed to come up with a case theory. She puts her own thoughts aside and knows that over time she can take her skills, and earn trust to be able to have understanding as to why the little girl is there. The worker knows she has to put input into the child and their lives so that she can see what the underneath piece looks like.