Trans Generational Family Therapy - Research Paper Example

Transgenerational family therapy is also known as intergenerational therapy and it refers to the therapy that deals with issues across more than two generations. It is more concerned with how the unsolved issues of original/earlier family generations affect the present-day dynamics of the family (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2011). Transgenerational therapy is not concerned with learning individual pathology but it is concerned with how families develop patterns of behavior and dealing with stress across generations in a manner that hinders the healthy development of their members and leads to predictable problems (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2011).

Individuals and families that are victims of Transgenerational issues can only develop new ways of interacting that are devoid of the symptoms through an understanding of how certain patterns develop and also changing how they resolve past issues and interact in their families. One of the underpinning concepts of Transgenerational approach to family therapy is the concept of differentiation of self which was put forward by Murray Bowen in his theory of family systems (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2011).

The concept emphasizes the ability of an individual to maintain a strong sense of self while at the same time having a connection with a deep emotional system in a manner that exemplifies rationality and autonomous thinking. When an individual is able to distinguish between what they feel and what they think from the family system dynamics, then the individual can have their own opinion and act autonomously with a personal judgment that is devoid of the influence of family members. Self-differentiation is a process that is part of family dynamics and not a personality trait and the process can also be seen in other systems apart from the family for instance friendships and work (Stafford, 1994).

An individual with self-differentiation is able to put to use the opinions and advise of other people while at the same time making independent and uninfluenced decisions. The other concept that is closely related to differentiation of self from family is the concept of differentiation of thinking from emotion which is considered a biological, physiological and mental process. When an individual is able to distinguish rationality from emotions, they can make a decision regarding a certain behavior rather than react to the intensity of the emotional system.

In other words, the process of being responsive as opposed to being reactive allows an individual to make a more thoughtful decision on what to do and how to do it. This does not men differentiated individuals have no emotions but their emotions cannot hinder or rather inhibit their thinking and autonomy. The opposite of differentiation is fusion where individuals are tied to other people and their decisions are greatly affected by others in a way that they lack autonomy and independence (Lieberman, 1979).

When individuals lack autonomy, they are fused to others and depend on them in thinking and acting and this can greatly hinder their capacity or capability of thinking.