Family Therapy Modalities Paper - Assignment Example

Family Therapy Modalities Paper Individual versus Family Therapies Psychological treatment or therapy can takes many forms depending on the given situation or condition of a given problem. Individual and family therapies are among the common forms of psychological treatment. According to Nichols (2013), individual therapy concerns with treatment of individual patients alone in engagement with a therapist. Family therapy is a psychological and social process of treating or guiding troubled families to overcome their problems. Generally, psychological treatments involve communication and issue of instructions to clients, but without administration of drugs. However, therapists or counselors may determine and understand situations to refer their patients to medical doctors or other forms of treatment. Individual therapy and family therapy have certain similarities and differences. Similarities Both individual and family therapies involve or base of psychological processes and procedures. The two methods do not involve administration of medical drugs or any forms of medical diagnosis. However, a therapist can recommend that a patient see a medical doctor when health condition of the given patient proves necessary (Lebow, 2014). When referred to a medical doctor, a patient receives the necessary treatment and returns to the psychologist for actual treatment. In both individual and family therapies, an individual patient attends and is usually the center of focus. Strategies and approaches designed to solve a given problem depend on the nature and condition of the given patient. Even though family members form an important part of the entire therapy in family therapy, much of focus and energy directs to the actual patient. Differences Individual therapy involves treatment of a patient when alone and in engagement with a therapist. Sessions for individual therapies do not involve any other third party besides the patient and the counselor. Family therapy on the other hand involves treatment of the patient while in company of the family members. Sessions for family therapies involve patient, family members and the counselor. Another difference between individual and family therapies may attribute to level and extent of participation of the patient in the treatment process. In individual therapy, a patient tends to have a lot of time with the patient and has to contribute and participate at every instant of treatment (Murphy, Meis & Eckhardt, 2009). In family therapy, there are family members who also have to contribute and take active part in the treatment. This means that the patient will not have to speak to the therapist all the time of engagement. Individual and family therapies also tend to differ with respect to decision-making process. Since individual therapy involves a patient and a therapist, decision-making process tends to be shorter. This is because a therapist who only guides a patient and does not impose directions has to seek and analyze views of a patient before validating a decision (Lebow, 2014). Decision-making process in family therapy tends to take longer time. This relates to the fact that it involves participation of more than three people whose views have to harmonize before validation. The individual patient and other members of the family have to contribute and express their understanding as to the solution of the problem. Evaluating each view and convincing each member as to the most appropriate stand is likely to take longer time. Compared to family therapy, individual therapy provides significant assurance with regard to protection of confidentiality. In individual therapy, a client is able to share most of their views and even disclose perceived classified information with surety that no third party will know. In fact, it easier to trace break point of confidentially in individual therapy considering participation of only two people (Knauss & Knauss, 2012). Confidentiality in family therapy is likely to be a tricky issue. This relates to the participation of many people who may impede disclosure of some information that would otherwise expedite and ease treatment. Furthermore, it may be challenging to trace break point of confidentiality since no family member may be ready to admit to any disclosure. Family therapy can be appropriate for treating a client whose problems or unwanted behavior is due to the nature of family structure. For instance, a father may start drinking and return home late in the night to avoid a stressful wife who quarrels and abuse him before children. In such a situation, family therapy will bring the family together and every member will express their views about the problem. Each member will also know their contributions to the father’s drinking behavior and understand measures or roles to play to support the patient to change. Individual therapy can be appropriate for treating a patient whose problem or unwanted condition did not develop due to the influence of any family member. Consider an adolescent coming from a supportive family but begins using drugs and related substances due to peer pressure. Counseling such an adolescent does not require presence of family members since the source of the problem has no relationship with the family. However, a therapist may find it necessary to request for support of the family members in recovery process of the adolescent. Integrating Individual and Family Treatments Even though individual and family therapies may seem to address different treatment needs, the two can serve together and assist in ensuring high quality treatment outcomes. Situations that may support integration of the two treatment modalities may involve need to protect confidentiality and make family members support a patient in recovery. In such situations, patients are the ones who need protection of certain information about their problems that should not reach their family members. In such a case, a therapist will have to conduct individual therapy, which will be in the interest of the patient (Murphy, Meis, Eckhardt, 2009). If family members seem to contribute towards maintenance of the given problem, a therapist may redesign or create flexibility between individual and family therapies. This will help a therapist to make family members understand their actions maintaining the problem and change to support the patient in recovery. References Knauss, L. K., & Knauss, J. W. (2012). Ethical issues in multiperson therapy. In S. J. Knapp, M. C. Gottlieb, M. M. Handelsman, L. D. VandeCreek (Eds.) , APA handbook of ethics in psychology, Vol 2: Practice, teaching, and research (pp. 29-43). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/13272-003 Lebow, J. (2014). Introduction: Foundations of couple and family therapy. In , Couple and family therapy: An integrative map of the terrritory (pp. 3-23). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14255-001 Lebow, J. (2014). Treatment models. In , Couple and family therapy: An integrative map of the terrritory (pp. 87-111). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14255-004 Murphy, C. M., Meis, L. A., & Eckhardt, C. I. (2009). Individualized services and individual therapy for partner abuse perpetrators. In K. OLeary, E. M. Woodin (Eds.) , Psychological and physical aggression in couples: Causes and interventions (pp. 211-231). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/11880-010 Nichols, M. (2013). Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods. (10th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc. Read More