Recording-2025-02-26T01:55:20.198Z

Class Overview and Feedback

• Class duration: Roughly an hour to a little more than an hour.

• Student feedback: Engagement and content delivery are effective; constructive discussions are maintained.

• Concern about potential downtime in other classes contrasted with this class, which remains productive.

• Notes on preferred class times: Considerations made for class timing, especially for older students with different schedules and sleep hygiene.

Chapter Focus

Transition to Content

• Moving into Chapter 7: Structural Family Therapy.

• Review of previous chapter: Strategic Family Therapy.

Assignments Clarifications

• Clarification on assignment requirements:

  • Bibliography: Not required; only a reference page is necessary.

  • Expectations for Literature Review: Focus on synthesizing content from literature without redundancy.

  • Due Date Adjustment: Literature review now due Sunday instead of Friday.

• Importance of selecting relevant topics:

  • Examples discussed: Effectiveness of CBT in low-income families and other high-risk populations.

  • Emphasis on the importance of personal interest in choosing topics.

Structural Family Therapy (Chapter 7)

Key Concepts

• Pioneering Theorist: Salvador Minuchin; focus on low-income families.

• Family Structure: Emphasis on hierarchy and organization within the family.

• Principles of Therapy:

  • Importance of observing families in action to understand dynamics.

  • Chaos or crisis as motivating factors for seeking therapy.

• Family Expectations: Patterns formed by roles and interactions can lead to structural problems.

Essential Components of Therapy

• Subsystems: Families organized into subsystems based on age, gender, or function.

• Boundaries: Critical to understand interactions:

  • Disengaged Families: Rigid boundaries leading to isolation.

  • Enmeshed Families: Overly permeable boundaries creating dependency.

  • The need for flexibility in boundaries to promote healthy interactions.

Therapeutic Techniques

1. Joining and Accommodating: Building rapport and engaging with families.

   • Understanding as a therapist is essential; client self-determination is prioritized.

2. Enactment: Allowing families to interact and address issues in real-time during sessions.

3. Highlight and Modify Interactions: Observing and guiding family dynamics actively.

4. Boundary Making: Assisting families in negotiating healthier boundaries.

5. Challenging Unproductive Assumptions: Encouraging reframing of problems within family discussions.

Case Studies and Practical Applications

• Discussion on real-life implications of structural family therapy.

• Importance of understanding interactions deeply through observing familial roles, especially concerning gender expectations.

• Recognition of flexibility within family structures and the importance of challenging extremes.

• Examples given from personal experiences enhance understanding of family dynamics in therapy.

Summary and Next Steps

• Upcoming Chapter 8: Experiential Family Therapy.

• Importance of reviewing content for understanding and exam preparation.

• Reminder of self-care and balance amidst busy schedules, especially related to upcoming assignments and exams.