Structural Family Theory

In reading the chapter this week which covered the structural family theory the text explained how this theory unlike many others does not focus on the emotional lives of the parties involved as much as on the structure of the family. The theory forces the social worker and the families to both become active in their treatment. I liked how it was explained that the therapist does not concentrate so much on the lengthy process of formal information gathering but in turn uses such things as “ice breakers” to make the clients feel more comfortable. In doing this the social worker learns more about the family by observation and a non-threatening interchange.
The structural family theory focuses on things such as the rules, boundaries, and subsystems of a family and recognizes that power imbalances can occur within the family when there is a lack of structure. It went on to explain about subsystem boundaries that are too rigid and can cause some members of the family to become emotionally or physically isolated from others in the family. Disengaged members of the family may not interact with the family as needed causing a disturbance to the overall structure of the family.
We have all seen something on the news or in own lives in which an individual does something out of the ordinary and then several people talk about what a good person this was and they came from a good family. An example that comes to my mind once again is the infamous Menendez brothers who in 1989 killed their wealthy parents in Beverly Hills, California. The brothers grew up in Princeton, New Jersey and attended a prestigious school there and later attended Princeton University. These individuals came from the “good family” we read about in books however the structure of the family structure was beyond repair and no steps were taken to correct it. I believe this theory is an absolute must use with clients even if it is used with another to better treat the client. I would defiantly use this with future clients. It’s been said more than once that what you do tells more about you then what you say and I believe this theory helps to see the things you’re not saying.

CBT

The reading assignment this week covered behavior theory and cognitive theory. The text stated that behavior theory consisted of ideas about how human actions and emotions develop through principles of learning. Prior to this semester I had heard about cognitive theory and even read articles on it but had very little insight into the true inner workings of the theory. While reading through the chapters several important facts about the two theories stood out and explained the pros and cons of both, however one section of the reading jumped out at me and put the information into a whole new context for me.
In one example in chapter 7 titled Cognitive Restructuring and the Single Parent it gave a scenario of a single mother who was attending school and facing the pressures of financial hardship all the while trying to provide for her four year old child. The individual felt overwhelmed with her responsibilities and believed that her failures implied complete incompetence on her part. As I read this I thought to myself that this scenario sounded a lot like my own situation.
In chapter 7 the text described the ABC model of cognitive theory in which “A” is the activating event; “B” is the individual’s belief of the event; and “C” is the consequence. In the cognitive model it is believed that if you can change your belief or thought you can change the outcome or your feelings. This sounded a little odd when I first read this but then while going through my own individual trials I figured I would try this as I had nothing to lose. Little by little I stated to use this method and at times I actually noticed I did feel better or was not so stressed over situations which I once was. This past week I once again attempted to use this process in which I was called in for a meeting. At first I was nervous and actually a little mad at what I believed was something that did not warrant a meeting. However after changing my thoughts and looking at things differently I felt pretty good about the meeting and actually left feeling better than when I had went in. Now there has been situations in which I could not change my thoughts no matter how hard I tried but all in all this approach has had a positive impact on not only my life but also that of my daughter as now I find myself trying to implement this strategy in current situations.
I believe that both the behavior theory and the cognitive theory are diffidently something I would use with future clients. When the aspects of CBT were first explained to me I was not totally clear on how it worked and it seemed quite complicated however after having it explained to me in more elementary terms I think that anyone can benefit from the use of these two theories.

Family Emotional Systems Theory

After reading Chapter 5 in the text it appeared to me that the Family Emotional Systems Theory could be applied to nearly every clinical situation such as emotional dysfunction in children, alcoholism, divorce, depression and many other disorders. After more reading on this theory it appears it could also work with a pair of counselors such as when treating gender-related issues or to serve as a role model for family members. The text stated that the Family Emotional Systems Theory is a theory of human behavior that views the family as an emotional unit and uses systems thinking to describe the complex interactions in the unit. It is the nature of a family that its members are intensely connected. I do think that all too often counselors want to explain away incidents or actions their clients report with having something to do with their parents or other family members but there are cases that really do factor in one’s family. I believe no matter how well your marriage or relationship may be going almost every couple could benefit from the use of this theory because it emphasizes such factors as relationship and communication patterns rather than traits or symptoms in individual members. All too often couples believe they don’t need counseling and then wonder what happened when the relationship goes south or fails to progress. It appears this might be able to be used as more of a preventive measure much like getting a tune up on your vehicle and not waiting until the engine blows up to open the hood and look at it and try and fix it. I do believe I could and would use this with my clients. This theory such as all the others may work well with client’s and their families however, incorporating several different types of strategies together would probably have a much larger impact when working with client’s.

Religion in Social Work

While sitting in class this week I could not help but sit back in my seat and think to myself about my own values and beliefs and how they have impacted my life. The issue of talking about religion and one’s own values and beliefs when working with clients was discussed and the answers given were many and wide. The common answer was that “we” would not discuss religion when we were working with clients and would not bring the topic up in counseling sessions. That our own values and beliefs were to be left at the door before the session and we are to be totally objective. Whether we like to admit it or not our values and beliefs will play a role in what type of worker we are. As I sat there and listened I could not believe how easily individuals would give up their own values and beliefs just to say what was expected of them and to chase the old mighty dollar. The Bible repeatedly warns us not to place too much confidence in our own abilities.
I guess my thoughts and beliefs are somewhat different than most as I would have no problem discussing religion with a client if the conversation ended up there. I’m not saying I would impose my religious thoughts on the client but I would not shy away from them if the topic came up. Counseling and religion share some similarities in that people turn to both when faced with hardships in their lives and seek guidance in how to “fix” their problems.
As a social worker we are taught to advance human rights and social and economic justice and to understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination. We are told in engage in policy practice and address the social and economic well-being of others and to advocate for policies that advance social well-being. Now I may be wrong here but one of the largest groups in the world that suffer from oppression and discrimination are people rooted in their religious beliefs. In today’s world you can’t say a prayer in a public school or wear anything on your shirt that pertains to your religious beliefs. If we try and hold prayer at a local football game the ACLU will instantly arrive here in town and sue someone. I remember seeing a case back in 2008 in which a Christian relationship counselor was fired after refusing to give sex advice to gay couples. Do you not think it’s odd that we can discuss sex, drugs and everything else under the sun but not religion?
As stated in Chapter two of the text, Bertha Reynolds advocated for social justice at a time when it was not common nor allowed. She knew she would lose her job and that her reputation would forever be tarnished but she continued anyway and today as we sit here we follow the model that she attempted to employ all those years ago. The text stated that social developments change how we look at things and that in order for things to change someone has to take a stand.
The six core values of our chosen profession relate to service, social justice, dignity, worth of a person, the importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. Seeing as how Southern is a university that is grounded in its values and belief’s maybe a social worker from here needs to advocate on behalf of all the Christian people who have lost their rights to pray when and where they want to. This would be a good project to work on concerning social justice. It’s a sad day when we worry so much about liability that we are afraid to do our jobs. This is the real injustice to our clients.