Bowen Assumed - the Person's Problem Appears due to Family Dysfunction - Research Paper Example

 Approaches to Counselling Question one Therapist started to sightsee the changes in family life after WWII after discovering that the war wavered very many families. Therapists having identified the problem, begun to treat the war victims, and they extended the treatment to other members of their families. This step worked out and helped to improve the status of most of the families. Bowel was the pioneer of family therapy. Family therapy is a way of counseling that identifies a person’s problem and takes it as a sign of dysfunction in the whole family (Papero, 1990). Family counselor does not look at individual in a family with a problem, but he considers the entire family system. A system works together, and if one is taken away it malfunctions. According to Bowel, there are social and cultural part factors that affect most of the family (Papero, 1990). These social and cultural factors, however, influence the way people think and even shape their values in everyday life. Moreover, Bowel argues that these values and thoughts can be carried from one generation to the next (Meltzer & Harris Meltzer Trust, 2009). The primary focus is the therapy towards the family system. The Bowen family system theory argument was based on the premise that human are as a result of evolutionary development, and all humankind have to go through that process of evolution. Another Bowen’s theory of family counseling has its basis in multigenerational concept. It was rooted in the quest to change those families who can influence other families negatively. In addition, Bowen bases these theories on self-differentiation that is the ability to differentiate thoughts from feelings. Self-differentiation enables a person to hold on to a standpoint such that when someone tells him something, he can analyze it before he can react towards it(Meltzer & Harris Meltzer Trust, 2009). Bowen saw a family as consisting of a whole unit whose thoughts dwell on multigenerational. In multigenerational, Bowen argues that the family’s inability to function is as a result of the transmission from one generation to the other. For instance, an individual with certain inequities tends to seek a spouse who lacks such differentiation. The primary belief here is to get a child who does not show much of such differentiation. Bowen’s theory emphases on ensuring that punter get to know their problem rather than concentrating on solving the problem (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2013). However, there are also other prominent theories that Bowen employ in his family counseling. For instance, the theory of structuralism. Structuralism appeals that human culture must be unspoken in terms of how people relate to one another. Structuralism dwell on things that the human being do, think, perceive and feel. Moreover, it says that human life depends on mutual coexistence and relationship with the rest of the family members and when this relationship lacks something has to be done about it (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2013). Structuralism employs the use of introspection in its study. In Bowen’s effort to use structuralism, he argues that togetherness is the key driver to human relationship. He again says that there are forces in human needs that create desire for companionship and independence. These forces could either be opposing or attractive. However, Bowen notes that the level of success or failure of these forces depends mainly on the principle of self- differentiation. Self- distinction demonstrates the ability of reflective thinking but not reaction under control of emotions and compressions (Bomar, 2004). Secondly, Bowen played a key role in the employment of psychoanalytical theory in examining how the internal and external factors influence the functioning of human personality (Aston, Corbett, & Aston, 2009). It explains how the senior members of the family like mother and father can act as external object by either positively or negatively influencing their children’s character. The parents can transmit their parental problem to the children. Transmission of such problem is possible since children emulate some bad characters from their parents. According to Bowen, the most prominent tactics of psychoanalytic family theory is based on object relations and ego (Bomar, 2004). Through the psychoanalytic counselor, family is considered a system that should work towards nurturing the best personality to their children. Psychoanalytic approach to counseling tries to reveal the interaction among the members of the family and the guidelines for these interactions. In a family system, their interaction within the family is the internal motivational factors while the interaction with the outside members of the family is the external motivation factors. Psychoanalytic mostly concentrates on the merits of child’s experience. These experiences are driven by Id, Ego and Super Ego. Therefore, a child’s experience is highly influenced by what he copy from the parents (O'Leary, 1999). Another theory employed by Bowen in counseling family is the experimental approach. Experimental approach focuses on the employment for use of experiment in understanding the behavior and what could be the possible cause. Bowen has employed the use of human participation by demonstrating a constructive way of doing the counseling. Bowen carried out a practical approach to doing his counseling. For instance, he conducted interviews in an attempt to ascertain what circulates the extended family versus the nuclear family. It was meant to examine the interaction among members of these families (O'Leary, 1999). The experimental approach to family counseling enabled Bowen to have first-hand information. As result, he made a proper ground for counseling patients. Empirical theory is also embodied in the talk. Talk therapy is useful in uplifting the unconscious by making the mind conscious. The similar element among all the methods chosen above is that they view a family as a system. A system is a functioning unit that can perform with harmony when one part is dysfunction (O'Leary, 1999). In this light, any member of a family regardless of the age is a determining factor for mutual coexistence. For instance, a family who wants to progress positively has to consider the plight of the youngest among them. This is because, what they say will be shaping up the child according to psychoanalytic theory (Elliott, 2002). Experimental helps to recreate personal stories by making them useful in doing the counseling. Cognitive theory is also crucial in this psychological aspect. Cognitive theory mostly dwells on how people think. It also focuses on how the thoughts determine how they relate and understand each other. It is obvious that children think differently from adults. However, in most cases adults’ ways of thought influences those of children (Coaley, 2010). The interesting fact is that structuralism had its dissimilation in that it only stressed on introspection as a way of understanding the conscious mind. In most cases, introspective patients could not appreciate what was going through their minds. Family counseling approach has been useful in that it brings to the social aspect of life. In this regard, everybody in the family is essential for the peaceful coexistence. Accordingly, psychoanalytic theory standout to be in critical factor in that that it appeals to the senior members of the family that their behavior is crucial to the children (Coaley, 2010). That is; children tend to copy what their parents or older ones do. Therefore, adults in the family should talk responsibly to avoid infecting the young ones with bad habits. Question two: integrating your faith and family counseling approach. In everyday life, families meet problems and difficulties like quarrels. Some difficulties come with greater weights that need proper solutions (Papero, 1990). The families at times brawl in finding the solution to these problems so as to maintain good health and peaceful coexistence. With the family counselor, the solutions to these problems can be found in a quiet environment without any biased. When you meet a family counselor, he will want to know the type of problem you are undergoing. Therefore, the extent by which the problem will be solved will depend on the openness of the client. Ripley and Worthington based his argument on Hope-Focused Couple Approach (HFCA). HCFA gives a wide detail on how couples can enrich themselves. It also helps to provide an insight on how couples can improve their relationship. Ripley and Worthington advocates for attachment and bond between the families. One characteristic of this theory is that it helps facilitate marriage between the couples and another factor in everyday life like drug abuse among the youths. HFCA employ the use of over 75 practical approaches to family counseling. The counselor uses the classroom activities such as audio lectures, summaries of the chapters and syllabus. HFCA success is quite enormous in the family fraternity (Aston, 2009). The family is a unit that most people believe in. Therefore, family counseling stands out as a significant aspect of the development of a family institution (Nasio, 1998). The first step I will take in counseling the family is to identify the problem. The identification of the problem will help me know its cause. After identifying the cause of the problem, I will carry out an interview with those affected by that problem. These steps are in line with the experimental theory of psychological analysis. Moreover, in my approach to family counseling I will employ the theory of functionalism (Nasio, 1998). In that approach, I will look into each person’s role in the family and how they contribute to peaceful coexistence in the society. Functionalism approach also supports the structuralism theory that sees the family as a system element (In Taft, 1948). Every individual is productive only when they are emotionally stable. There is little performance or results that can arise from an emotionally unstable individual. This emotional stability is a factor that can be brought about by the family. That is, a stable and responsible family should be able to help one of their own at least before seeking professional help. Therefore, family stands out as a system whereby each component contributes to a proper function of the other part. Additionally, family counseling can also take another angle all together whereby a counselor may use another person who is very close to the family with the problem. This is prudent in situation whereby the family is in fear to disclose their problem to the counselor whom they may perceive as a foreigner (Nasio, 1998). By using a closer person, the lawyer may know the night gritty of the family affairs and even the history of the family. With the information on the background of the family, the counselor can identify the right theoretical approach to the problem. The next step is also vital in family counseling. That is; I will first want to meet each the couples in turn. At that level, I will be able to identify the cause of the problem from all the parties and enable me to come to a valid conclusion in regards to the source of the problem (Katal, 1989). With Proper background of the problem, I will be able to bring the parties together and address them. It will be an unnecessary “point finger” at one person who is the real cause of everything. Instead, I will ensure that no party has come out of the counseling feeling that he is the real cause of the problem. There are at times when the issues in a family have reached a higher level and solving it may require the patient and a lot of commitment by the counselor. For instance, when counselor wants to guide somebody who is a drug addict, one may want to take approaches by first associating with the addict and even becoming his friend. Some might even want to venture into strategies such as joining him in drinking dens with the sole purpose of guiding the addict. Counseling is an act that should be encouraged by all means. There are some problems that an individual might not be able to solve on their own (Elliott, 2002). However, through proper counseling, these problems are might be solved. Human being are social in nature hence they need one another for growth. This growth can be in terms of spiritual, physical or psychological growth. These elements of growth can be realized through counseling. That is; an individual can achieve that aspect of self-belonging by actively finding a good counselor. An individual that open up and share their problems will feel relieved even if they do not get an instant solution. It is, therefore, prudent to argue that counseling boosts an individual’s self-esteem that is a very vital aspect of personal growth (Elliott, 2002). Counseling involves encouraging a good behavior by discouraging a bad behavior. Encouraging or discouraging a behavior is called motivation or reinforcement. There is positive and negative reinforcement. One’s counseling has been done the good behavior has to be nurtured through reinforcement. For instance, in the case of family counseling, the counselor may organize a continuous visit to the family to ensure that they are progressing well. So in the visit, the counselor may continue encouraging the family and recommend positive progress on the development of the victims. In conclusion, helping the parents to read the Bible and other inspirational books may be one of the best counselors. For the Christians, Bible has all the stories related to the problems human beings are going through their lives. Some of the stories indicate how the persons who got themselves in those situations got the problems. For the Muslims, they can read Quran. References Aston, M. C., Corbett, A., & Aston, W. (2009). The Asperger couple's workbook: Practice advice and activities for couples and counsellors. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Bomar, P. J. (2004). Promoting health in families: Applying family research and theory to nursing practice. Philadelphia, Penns: Saunders. Coaley, K. (2010). An introduction to psychological assessment and psychometrics. London: SAGE. Elliott, A. (2002). Psychoanalytic theory: An introduction. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Goldenberg, I., & Goldenberg, H. (2013). Family therapy: An overview. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. Greenberg, J. R., & Mitchell, S. A. (1983). Object relations in psychoanalytic theory. Cambridge, Mass. u.a: Harvard Univ. Pr. In Taft, J. (1948). Family casework and counseling: A functional approach. Philadelphia: Univ. of Pennsylvania Press. Meltzer, D., & Harris Meltzer Trust. (2009). Dream-life: A re-examination of the psychoanalytic theory and technique. London: Karnac Books for the Harris Meltzer Trust. Nasio, J.-D. (1998). Five lessons on the psychoanalytic theory of Jacques Lacan. Albany: State University of New York Press. O'Leary, C. (1999). Counselling couples and families: A person-centred approach. London, Angleterre: Sage. Papero, D. V. (1990). Bowen family systems theory. 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