Family therapy involves different clinical processes and strategies than those used with individual social work clients. Why must these differences be acknowledged and put to use when creating an intervention plan for a family? It is important to mention that the purpose of family therapy is to improve, assist communication, solving family problems, understand and handle special family situations. For example, mental illness and adolescent's issues. When families create a better functioning environment, adolescents benefit for family therapy. Also, family therapy helps to educate families and work out problems that the members of the family begin to have problems.
'Family therapy uses systems theory to evaluate family members in terms of their position or role within the system as a whole. Problems are treated by changing the way the system works rather than trying to fix a specific member. Family systems theory is based on several major concepts.'
Family therapy is most used for adolescents and children because they can suffer anxiety and social functioning, this begins having problems adjusting to the new family life, for example, when the parents are separate and have another partner.
'Adding individual therapy to family therapy for children and adolescents with the same therapist (if appropriate) or a therapist who is aware of the family therapy can be helpful.'
What could happen if the same therapeutic processes and strategies were used with families and individuals?
'If a social worker focuses only on the micro- and mezzo level issues, the therapeutic relationship may suffer greatly. Practitioners need to be constantly aware of cultural issues that can affect the process of family intervention.'
All families are different and they should have a plan that help them to solve the issue. For example, there are several cultural factors in each family. The therapeutic will take strategies that can be focus in different levels.
'Cultural factors often determine the roles that family members take. On some cultures more than others, older siblings may assist in caretaking for younger siblings.'
I believe, that not all families give responsibilities to their older siblings and when kids are growing to help their family, children and families do not see any issue. But when families give more responsibilities to older sibling and they are just not used to do it, they will start having a hard time.
References
- Family therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healthofchildren.com/E-F/Family-Therapy.html
- Holosko, Michael J., Dulmus, Catherine N., Sowers, Karen M. Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families: Evidence-Informed Assessments and Interventions.. [Vault eBooks].
