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Family systems
Family systems
Critical analysis of humanistic theory
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The humanistic theory had much influence after the time of World War II toward the late 1950’s (Hansell & Damour, 2008). According to Dombeck, (2006), the humanistic approach was defined to be consciously reflective, allowing one to have the ability to experience self-determination. The humanistic approach combines philosophy, existentialism, and the hierarchy of needs that motivates every individual person on a unique level of growth potential; it worked to find the importance of life’s true meaning’s in an individual’s life for human characteristic (Dombeck, 2006). For obsessional-compulsion disorder, the goal of humanistic therapy is to create a suitable environment for the patient that will allow him or her to develop, mature, and evolve …show more content…
By using the integration of family in recognizing disorders and treating behaviors and emotions, the family system works to involve therapy (Wells, Glickauf-Hughes, & Buzzell, 1990). Within family system therapy, improving communication is completed by various techniques: reframing perceptions within the group, paradoxical intention, especially for those with obsessional compulsion disorder, which helps to alleviate resistance to the therapy (Carr, 2000). Alleviating symptoms of obsessional-compulsion disorder in a single family member starts with understanding one’s anxiety and the psychological load that one carries or experiences; this establishes new ways of interacting and relating with the family, as well as eliminating one’s need for obsessional-compulsive acts or behaviors (McDougall, …show more content…
Within a family system, individuals were seen as a product of the family unit, rather than exclusions of the unit; this eliminated compulsions and obsessions in a family unit (Taylor, Asmundson, & Jang, 2011). Within family system therapy, the goal is to be capable of eliminating abnormalities in functions that affect all individuals and to treat or respond to the entire family; the goal is to also focus on the identified family member, reducing their extreme stress (Carr, 2000). The family system therapy searches for the balance between the independent individual performance and the function of the group (Taylor, Asmundson, & Jang,
Structural family therapy (SFT) emphasizes the idea that a system is only as good as its hierarchies, rules and boundaries. Under SFT, a family system functions by having boundaries, between and within each subsystem that offer clear identification with the hierarchy. Hierarchies determine the rules that govern each subsystem explicitly; therefore, SFT argues that hierarchies are necessary to ensure that the system continues to grow and adapt as well as provide structure for the family. SFT maintains that there are three primary subsystems in a family, parental, spousal and sibling. According to SFT, the rules and subsystem also determine the appropriate boundary that is needed when interacting with
For Bowen, the family is the unit of observation and the emphasis is put on emotional forces that are common to all families, this helps to reduce the significance of which family member is causing the problem. Bowens approach to change is understood within the context of striving to understand life’s forces, the very principal that gives coherence to Bowens approach to therapy. (Friedman, 1991). When attempting to achieve change within a client the source of the issue is less important, but rather trying to locate the systematic forces within a family as well as those that are transmitted from generation...
Family systems have been studied since psychologists began studying people and their behaviors. The family is a dynamic system—a self-organizing system that adapts itself to changes in its members and to changes in its environment (as cited in Sigelman & Rider, 2009). Allowing the focus of a family system to grow beyond the mother and child relationship did not happen overnight. For many years, there was no connection made between other members of the family and the developmental issues of the children involved.
Gladding, S. T. (2010). Family therapy: History, theory, and practice (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
In understanding others, one must first understand our own family background and how it affects our understanding of the world. Conversely, family systems draw on the view of the family as an emotional unit. Under system thinking, one evaluates the parts of the systems in relation to the whole meaning behavior becomes informed by and inseparable from the functioning of one’s family of origin. These ideas show that individuals have a hard time separating from the family and the network of relationships. With a deeper comprehension of the family of origin helps with the challenges and awareness of normalized human behaviors. When interviewing and analyzing the family of origin, allow one to look at their own family of origin
Napier provides a crucial exploration of the therapy of a family struggling with battles for the structure of their family and battles to define and grow their relationships with one another. Napier and Whitaker seamlessly and purposely work with each family member, educating and
The family structure is made up of individuals living together in intimate groups with the purpose of caring and supporting each other. Rules and boundaries, spoken and unspoken, are developed by the family members. Family rules and boundaries change and shift over time in order to evolve and grow as a family unit. Some changes are subtle, but some events force major change within the family system. This paper applies the concepts of systems theory to the family system in the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Reese Witherspoon (Melanie Smooter) and Josh Lucas (Jake Perry) star in this heart-warming film telling a story of a young woman who flees from Alabama to reinvent herself in New York City as a high fashion designer. She leaves behind her redneck husband and white-trash upbringing. Melanie finds herself engaged to the cities most eligible bachelor and has to return to Alabama to request a divorce from her first love and confront her past ("Alabama," 2002).
According to Richard Charles (2001) “the effectiveness of family systems theory rests not much on empirical research but on clinical reports of positive treatment outcomes, the personal benefits experienced by the families that underwent this kind of treatment, and the elegance of Bowen’s theory” (p. 279). Bowen’s family systems theory views the family as an emotional unit and is a theory of human behavior. Systems thinking is used to describe the complex interactions in the unit. However, the client’s ability to differentiate himself/herself from the family of origin is the basis for Bowen’s family systems theory. In addition, the primary focus for growth within the emotional system is differentiation of self.
Experiential Family Therapy is a therapy that encourages patients to address subconscious issues through actions, and role playing. It is a treatment that is used for a group of people in order to determine the source of problem in the family (Gurman and Kniskern, 2014). Experiential Family Therapy has its strengths and weaknesses. One of the strengths of this therapy is that, it focuses on the present and patients are able to express their emotions on what is happening to them presently. The client will have time to share everything about his/her life experiences one on one without any fears. As a result, it helps the client in the healing process because, he/she is able to express their feelings freely and come out of the problem. Therefore, in this type of therapy, the clients are deeply involved in solving their issues. It helps clients to scrutinize their individual connections and to initiate a self-discovery through therapy, on how their relationships influence their current behaviors (Gurman and Kniskern, 2014). By examining their personal relationships through experiential family therapy, family members are able to
Moreover, the foundational approach to structural family therapy are that families’ are views as psychosocial systems, attached within social systems, which operate in a transactional patters. The transaction patterns are how, when and whom to relate, and reinforce systems. As a result each family duty are carried ou...
In the industrial age before World War II, when individual psychotherapy was born and thrived, human beings were essentially seen as machines, with broken parts—including the mind—that could be repaired; after World War II, the dawning information technology age brought a paradigm shift in the view of human life from mechanical to relational, and communication and systems theories provided family therapy with increased validity and prominence. (White, 2009, pp. 200-201). The modern family systems theories that grew out of this paradigm viewed families narrowly as functional or dysfunctional according to the delineation of each theory. Today, postmodern theory suggests that no absolute truth governs individuals or families; instead, people are
When looking at family systems, you must begin by looking at Murray Bowen’s family systems theory and “his views on the eight interlocking forces that shape family function,” (Haefner, 2014). Within Bowen’s family psychotherapy research, he noted that “family patterns and problems often repeat over generations, he also noted that families make up their own emotional systems, and within these systems they try to maintain stability and reduce conflict,” (Haefner, 2014). The eight interlocking forces noted by Bowen through (Haefner, 2014)
Murray Bowen developed family systems theory. This transgenerational model looks at how a family’s history informs their present functioning. Today it is a prominent model used by today’s family and marriage mental health professionals. Derived from psychoanalytic thinking and sometimes called natural systems theory, it posits that families are living and evolving systems shaped by chronic anxiety transmitted through its generations. Anxiety is aroused when individuals attempt to balance their individual identity with being a part of a family. This balancing act inevitably causes anxiety, triggering biological coping responses instead of healthy cognition and reasoning (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2012). Erford
I began this program during the spring semester of 2014 at which time I enrolled in the working with family’s course. Unaware how much I would relate to the family systems theory in regards to my personal life. Moving forward I have been able to connect many situations during my practicum experience to this theory as well.
During therapy the importance of subjective experiences, the existence of the ability of personal growth and the importance of goal-directed meanings in life are emphasised (Frankl, 1959). Furthermore, the importance of the proper circumstances for the growth of self-concept (Rogers, 1959), the necessity of self-actualization and recognition of one's potential, accentuation of joy as part of life and authenticity are stimulated (Cave, 1999). The client is motivated to make one's own decisions without the intervention of the therapy leader. Focus is placed on present rather than on past and the therapist is more like an active listener. Roger's therapy was argued (Truax, 1996) that it is a simple form of behaviour therapy as it is using positive reinforcement. The humanistic therapy also incorporates other used techniques, such the already discussed Roger's person-centered therapy, Berne's (1964) transactional analysis, Perl's (1969) gestalt therapy, conjoint therapy, milieu therapy (Jones, 1953). These approaches are most useful with specific individuals, not with patients with particular disorders. Patients do acquire benefits from humanistic therapy approaches, however difficulty arises from the point of view whether science can adequately measure what the therapist finds meaningful about the changes they perceive during therapy (Yalom, 1980). The