Chapter 18 - Marriage, Couple, and Family Counselling (EIGHT) Flashcards
define: marriage
-a socially or religiously sanctioned union between two adults for economic and/or procreational reasons
Which is more effective, individual or family/couple counselling?
-family counseling is at least as effective as individual counseling
Define: family life cycle
- the stages a family goes through as it evolves over the years
- ex. we are in the ‘unattached adult” stage: initiation of career, development of peer relations, differentiation from family of origin
- 9 stages, until retirement
- newly married, childbearing, preschool aged child, school-aged child, teenaged child, launching centre, middle-aged adult, retirement
Define: family cohesion
-emotional bonding
Define: family adaptability
-ability to be flexible and change, is this a closed system (rigid) or an open system (open to change, flexible)
Define: enmeshment (family dysfunction)
-over dependency on each other or undifferentiating, ex. Boyfriend and girlfriend, over-functioning parent can’t let child individuate and separate, that duo is “enmeshed”
Define: triangulation aka splitting (family dysfunction)
-family fusion where other members pull additional members in two different directions, ex. Child is more aligned with mom, influences mum and dad’s relationship
Similarities between individual/group counselling and marriage/family counselling
- Both recognize the family role in the individual’s life
- Both focus on problem behaviors and conflicts between the individual and environment
- Both are developmental, influences the context, treat people differently based on it
- Counseling sessions are similar in organization, basic dynamics, and stage development
- Both have an interpersonal emphasis
Differences between individual/group counselling and marriage/family counselling:
- Individual counseling treats the person outside the family
- Marriage and family counseling includes the involvement of other family members in the counseling
- Marriage and family counseling resolves issues within the family in order to help individual members
- Family members are not equal in status and power
- Families may perpetuate myths, whereas groups are usually more objective
- Family members carry more emotional baggage
- Marriage and family counseling has emphasis on dynamics. Individual and some group counseling focus on linear causality
Reasons couples seek counseling include:
- Finances
- Children
- Fidelity
4 .Communication; lack of good communication skills - Compatibility
Explain: systems view of families
- an open system that evolves through the family life cycle in a sociocultural context
- stress circular causality; eliminates scapegoating and linear causality (one action causes another)
- nonsummativity; family is greater than the sum of its parts, ex. examine patterns in a family rather than one member
- have explicit and implicit rules
- equifinality; The ability of a system to achieve a goal through different means or routes
Define: morphogenesis
-family modification of its functioning to meet changing demands
Define: homeostasis
-a steady, stable state of equilibrium
define/explain: ripple effect
-working with one family member in hope that changes in this individual will positively impact a family
Explain structural family counselling theory:
- hierarchical structure works well, parents are higher in authority than children.
- no structure/little structure increases family stress, rigidity, chaos, and dysfunctionality
- counsellors are observers and experts in making interventions to modify and change the structure, especially subsystems
- should help establish clear boundaries between family members
- not complex enough, sexist at times, and focuses too much on present
- versatile, culturally sensitive, effective with many different groups
