Final Exam Flashcards
Problems that will block us in marriage/family counselling
1) Naivety - not knowing much due to our circumstances; don’t pretend you know, find out what you can
2) Denial - reluctance to face what goes on in our souls
3) Complexity - these problems are rarely simple, we have to be willing to go to hard places
Discerning what should be shared w/ spouse
Ask Yourself:
- Is the person willing to share for redemptive purposes?
a. is it ministry
b. or is it to dump/get off their chest
c. neither spouse is to be the burden bearer of past issues
Sexual Difficulties
- Specific Intra-psychic issues; ex. if wife was molested as child
- Interpersonal Issues; no spirit and soul oneness
- technique issues; core ignorance of sexuality; counsellor cannot be embarrassed
Spirit Oneness
-Ones unique, personal relationship with God
Soul Oneness
-How one communicates to one’s spouse; it is the energy of your souls moving toward one another, with the others interest in mind; passionate soul contact
Body Oneness
- Ones physical being set in the direction of pleasing the other
- sexual enjoyment
- this is difficult to be built on anything else other than passionate soul contact - passionate soul involvement cant be formed without intimate relationship with God
Stages/Characteristics of Intimate Relationships
- Invitational Stage - determining common grounds for establishing relationships
- Exploration Stage - greater focus on similarities of values, goals, and beliefs
- Intensifying Stage - more attention is paid to the relationship in an attempt to achieve an identity as a couple
- Revising stage - negotiation of rules/roles for the relationship
- Bonding stage - in a love relationship, a public commitment is made
- Navigating stage -adjusting to changing needs in the relationship
Developing Intimate Relationships
- There are things you know about yourself that others don’t know
- There are things others know about you that you may not be aware of
- It takes great energy to hide information from yourself and others
- The more information is known about you, the clearer your self-awareness will be
- The more self-disclosing of you, the lesser the hidden areas
- The more that others self-disclose to you, about their observations of you, the less the blind areas
- The greater self-disclosing of yourself to others and others to you; the less of the unknown their will be in your life to catch you off guard or lead to compromising circumstances
Self-Acceptance
-Understanding that you are a sinner and saved by grace. Therefore in the eyes of God you are special, worthy, and acceptable
Self-Disclosing
-In order for me to know you, you must know yourself
Rules that enforce shame
- Be blind - relinquish your own perceptions of reality
- Be quiet - don’t talk about what really happens in family
- Be numb - only certain members are allowed to have certain emotions
- Be careful - don’t trust others to really be who they appear to be
- Be good - don’t be a real human child - be a permanent press adult
Dysfunctional definition of ‘good children’
- Never inconvenience parents
- Never lose at anything (unless to parent)
- Never have a critical thought
- Only remember happy times
- Know how to do everything perfectly without being taught
- Never have any personal needs of their own
Family Functioning Comparison #1
Healthy Family:
Parents do not expect to be perfect; therefore are shame-free
Unhealthy Family:
Parents believe they should be perfect, so are significantly shame-bound
FFC #2
Healthy Family:
Parents are consistently adequate as they admit to their problems and work towards resolving them
Unhealthy Family:
Parents never seek help on their personal problems
FFC #3
Healthy Family:
Parents accept family problems and work through them
Unhealthy Family:
Parents think the family needs to be perfect, so instead of dealing with the problem, they focus on how to look like a picture perfect family