Family Intervention Paper

In this paper, we will look at family counseling as a form of intervention with the client Marcus Thomas, and his family. Mr. Thomas’ family consists of himself, his mother Diane Walker, step father James Walker, biological sister Jill Thomas, and step brother Travis Walker. Marcus Thomas is a 14-year-old African American male with a history of truancy, assault, and theft, and is currently on probation for an attempted burglary. As a term of Mark’s probation, he and his family must attend bi-weekly family counseling.
Family Counseling as an Intervention According to aptitude testing conducted on Mark he is in the high range of intelligence and academic ability, however, Mark is currently failing four of classes at school. Mark has also exhibited
In this article, the author discusses a model created by Nicholas Hobbs called the Re-EDucation model. The article focuses on four principles used within the model, “trust between adult and child is essential, competence makes a difference, self-control can be taught, and in growing up, a child should know some joy each day and look forward to some joyous event for the morrow” (Shepard, 2011). I feel this form of Re-Education model based counseling could be extremely beneficial to Mark and his family. I feel it is very important that Mark and Mr. Walker work on establishing trust within their relationship. I also believe a healthy functional relationship between Mark and his family is possible; however I think the entire family could benefit from understanding and acknowledging their capability and competency in establishing a healthy family relationship. Mark could definitely benefit from the teaching of self-control outlined in this model, as well as the focus on finding some joy in today and looking forward to something joyful in tomorrow, this idea is similar to that of the instillation of hope. I believe this Re-Ed model would be a great tool and model in working with Mark and his family in a therapeutic
Mark and his family are African American, therefore I felt this article would be relevant and valuable in the family’s counseling. The article talks not only about recognizing issues of ethnical diversities, but diversities in family dynamics as well, such as, single mother parenting, households where both parents work, and families that have elderly family members living with the family. Mark’s family has dealt with, or is currently dealing with each of the diversities in family dynamics mentioned in the article, and so I found this article to be relevant to the Thomas/Walker family on many levels. The article emphasizes the importance of accurate usage of culturally sensitive terms, and the potential for misuse of such terms. The article also discusses recognizing strengths within poor and working class families that may go beyond that of the average nuclear family (Montague, 1996). Lastly, the article lists 13 important principles to guide counseling in diverse families which could be utilized in the counseling of Mark and his