FAMILY COUNSELLING STRUCTURAL APPROACH

Abstract

Any household faces a mutual change overtime that needs to be adapted so as to keep the togetherness those families need to poses. To keep the family at a state of functional equilibrium, the various problems that face a family need to be addressed by professionals. According to Hadfield (2000) Structural therapy is part of family counseling approach that identifies the strengths of a family and tries to change the families whenever a dysfunctional form of interaction occurs. This literature review essay designates the presentation of the structural approach to individual families as a way of counseling and it also tries to compare similar approaches that serve the same purpose (Munichin, S., 1982). This study covers all the concepts, techniques, current and historical events of the approach, assumptions as well as development of the approach. Therefore, the article will discuss the structural approach to family counseling and the basic concepts that apply in this form of therapy.

Introduction

Structural approach is psychotherapy method established by Salvador Minuchin that addresses functioning problems in a family. Therapists join the family so as to understand to understand the invisible rules in the family system that governs its functioning draw relationships among family members and disrupts dysfunctional relationships causing them to stabilize into healthier patterns. Illustrating from systematic method, structural family therapy emerged in the year 1960s and 1970s as a new model containing practical ideas that are easily transferrable to therapy settings by Munichin (1982).

Structural therapy overview

            The founder of the structural therapy approach is called Salvador Minuchin. Based on the systematic model, the approach emerged in the year 19160s and 1970s and it contained useful thoughts and concepts that were easily convenient to the setting of the therapy that was of great importance. Nowadays, structural therapy approach is the widely used model for counseling o0f families (Munichin, S., 1982).  According to Munichin (1982), the approach normally looks upon the person within the family system rather than on a solely single. According to Hadfield (2000), the idea that articulates that the symptoms of an individual are well understood when they are examined on the family interaction arrays context. During the year 1980s, the concept reflected the shift that occurred that time which was dissimilar from the existed traditional mental health model that emphasized on individual pathology.

            The therapy argues that “man is not an isolate” Munichin (1982). Hence, according to the approach, the actions of each member affect the wellbeing of the other members of the family. This trend continues into the entire society in the community. According to the founders of the theory, persons are molded into their present state through their interactions with their environment.

            The Structural therapy approach finds its basis on the idea of the “interrelationship of the whole.” This notion is to the argument that even though the individual is a separate being, the person is part of a family. Additionally, Munichin (1982) argued that the kind of influence that the individual has upon the family is directly linked to the deeds of other family associates. From the point of view, structural perspective on the family argues that the actions of individual members of the family are intertwined with the behaviors of the other members of the family (Hadfield, K. 2000). It means that the members are complimentary to each other, and as a whole, make up the family. The family behavior is therefore circular in nature and that family is sustained by the collective actions of the individual members. This means that the behavior of any individual member has been directly influenced by another member’s behavior.

            Structuralism is based on a situation whereby persons mutually accommodate each other whereby a person develops given traits for themselves while the other persons develop complimenting traits. For example, a wife who claims that her husband does not listen to her must be possessing characteristics that drove the husband into not listening to her. In structural therapy, this problem can be solved by requiring that both members in the conflict assist each other into changing then later rewarding each other for the change achieved. Structural therapy is ideal to the counseling of the family unit in that it focuses on the present underlying issues affecting the family (Hadfield, K. 2000). The rationale behind this technique is that the past family dysfunction is observable in the current state of the family. Therefore, by dealing with the present, structural therapy is able to correct the existing behavioral dysfunction in the family by Colapinto (1982). Hence, in structural therapy, the sessions focus on the recurrent issues rather than past problems.

            Structural approach blames the dysfunction in the family and rigidity as the sources of the problems in the family. For the family to return to the point of functional equilibrium, its structure ought to be changed with regard to the positions of family members. For example, a situation may arise where a mother and son are very close and occasionally take sides against the father. So as to overturn this situation, the parents need to change their positions by reexamining their parental roles.

Historical development

Structural therapy approach can be traced back to the years of 1960s to the period when Munichin was doing some therapy and training at New York a school called Wiltwyck. He had an influence on cultural beliefs, human nature, different rules and truths (Munichin, S., 1982). The experience of Wiltwyck stood to be the most unique and powerful since he interacted with the boys from poor backgrounds and disorganized families. Concerns from individual level and society as a whole stimulated the quest for alternative approaches. Therefore, from point of view, the experience from the school stimulated the environment and Munichin was appointed as a director in the year1965 when there was a possibility of testing the model.

The Key Concepts of Structural Therapy Approach

The approach exploits many perceptions so as to understand and organize the family. These concepts includes; disengagement, alignment, power, coalition, boundaries, structure, enmeshment, boundaries and subsystems. The concepts are explained below:

Structure

            It describes how every family organizes itself; therefore every family has to have a structure. For instance, Munichin uses structure concept to illustrate how families have behavioral arrangements which are traditional and unsettled.  According to Colapinto (1982), a properly functioning individual family is one which has distinct limitations between its systems. The change of a disequilibrium structure refers to a therapy carried on a dysfunctional family to divert it from the present structure or state of affairs (Munichin, S., 1982). The sole purpose of the therapy is to add on the tractability of the family system.  According to Hadfield (1982), a family structure is administered by two basic principles; first, there is a hierarchical structure in the family with parents having more power compared to the children (Hadfield, K. 2000). The second principle states that every family possesses its own distinctive nature. This means that families are unique in nature and every member of each family has distinct ways of interacting with each other by Aponte (1992).

Subsystems

These are the smaller subgroupings of the whole family that are made up of individuals or groups of people. The subsystems are the avenues by which families decide on who shall perform given tasks by Hadfield (1982). The means of relating between the sub-systems is guided by both unspoken and spoken rules. Examples of subsystems in the family are spouses, sisters or brothers (Aponte, H. J. 1992). A viability of a family structure is dependent on the proper roles played by each subsystem.

Boundaries;

 Boundaries in a subsystem are the rules that define the persons who should perform give tasks and to what degree the tasks should be performed Hadfield (1982). They can be psychological or physical factors that organize individuals and separate them from one another. The example of a boundary in a family is a door that closes off the bedding room of parents from that of siblings (Colapinto, J. 1982). Therefore, boundaries enable subsystems to play their roles without interference from any of the group and they have to be clear to function as expected. Disengagement and enmeshment concepts rely on the concept of boundary.

Primary Techniques

Joining

It is an ongoing process and it has to be maintained throughout the therapeutic relationship since therapists have to develop a strong relationship with the family so as to change the current functioning of the family system.  According to Hadfield (1982), a section of joining obliges counselors to have a good understanding of the family’s problems that will make the family to have a feeling of being understood and heard.

 This part also tends to major on strengths in the family especially underlining positive ones so as to give the family assurance over the skills that they possess. Munachin says that “the process of joining involves not only being accepted by the family but also being accepted as therapists in the family”.Munachin finds that the act of joining requires different levels (Colapinto, J. 1982). For example, learning the language style of the family and mimicking some behavioral patterns and many more. Accommodation is another way of joining a family whereby the counselor has to make personal adjustment to attach with the family.

Boundary making

For health functioning of family systems, boundary has to be maintained for instance in families whereby boundaries are too flexible or rigid, counselors try to try and create boundaries that are autonomous and independent within a family by Hadfield (1982). In physical boundary making, rearrangement of seating setting and the use of gestures to block conversations are taught by therapists (Colapinto, J. 1982). Verbal boundary involves giving specific instructions to a family and also giving them prompts to outlaw disruptions.

Restructuring

It involves structural change in a family so as to bring changes on the arrangement of a family and alleviate symptoms. It can be done by altering hierarchical patterns in a family so as to ensure the same problems are not reoccurring again (Simon, G. 1995). One of the structural problems is competence of the needs of a family system whereby one member needs more attention. Another occurrence is when there is insufficiency of resources to meet the needs of a family.

Reframing

 It involves changing a certain thing to alter a meaning so as to give the family an outside view of a situation. It gives the family and therapists an opportunity to focus on positive matters rather than the negative ones.

The approach is similar to other approaches since they all try to come close into a family on building and mending the relationships among family members (Simon, G. 1995). The most crucial part I have learned in structural theory is that therapists try to connect the family and at the end they achieve to solve the issues that existed thus structuring the family in appropriate manner.

Part 2

Introduction

Integration of faith and counseling entails using Christian values and teachings in helping conflicted individuals or counseling families that have lost track in life.  Family counseling approach entails therapists working with the whole family at a time instead of individual members of a family. If one member or some members of the family are missing in a meeting, the counselor automatically reschedules the meeting. here families tries to maintain steadiness and if one of the members practices anything outside the norm, the rest of family members will do anything possible to bring things back as they used to be.

Explicit integration approach is used since it allows the use of spiritual or religious ways by the use of bible resources and prayers (Sutherland, S. 2018). Also, implicit integration can also be used depending on the level of client’s desires and issues that need to be addressed, here the use of bible and prayers are not necessary. Therefore when doing Christian counseling both implicit and explicit integration approaches are normally used.

Counseling can be challenging sometimes especially using of Christian integration. It is because one may have clients who are religious and others non-religious, thereby the way one counsels the client differs depending the level of spirituality in a person by American Counseling Association (20050. For instance, Christian clients are easy to deal with, one need to open floor for the client so as to make choices regarding prayer before or after the session or discussion. Scriptures are essential in the counseling process as it encourages and gives the client the inner strength to endure challenges is hand and make the expected changes (American Counseling Association. 2005). For instance, if the whole family is experiencing some challenges, regular read of the scriptures in the bible keeps the family strong and it equips them with Christian values and knowledge and at the end their problems will be solved.

According to American Counseling Association (2005), for the case of non-Christian clients, openness has to be corded to the individual or family and by not mentioning any religion or spirituality to them since it might make them fear to share or make them odd one out. For them to be comfortable in the session, giving them first priority in sharing is essential giving the client an open door when it comes to spirituality in that if he or she is willing to open or close or enter when ready it should be their choice (Sutherland, S. 2018). Pressing them to belief what I belief is not necessary but one has to look for opportunities to mention religion and spirituality in general sense based on the view of the client.

If the client tends to ask about the Christian beliefs, one should feel free to share. The family or clients should be encouraged to reconnoiter an idea that stabilizes in mental or passionate healing doesn’t necessarily mean tackling the specific problem but also to incorporate some aspects of spirituality. It will foster complete healing since the client has acquired Christian faith and it’s up to him or her to use them appropriately in healing. It is by making a choice of exploring further spiritual teaching and values and how the knowledge together with practices are similar with  difficulties that that has been experienced and the way the religious beliefs will influence healing.

Ethical practice

It is usually used during the beginning of lessons when the client presents his or her problems. It is ethical to give the client an opportunity to express the problems and further to give thoughts that surrounds faith integration (American Counseling Association. 2005). Their preferences have to be honored during the counseling sessions and the floor or the door has to be opened for them for exploration of their feelings and thoughts in religion and spirituality areas. The decisions they make or they prefer concerning spirituality has to be honored. The clients have to be comfortable and free during the sessions so as to express themselves fully on areas they have challenges and they should be comfortable to say their views as well concerning spiritual taught.

Applied integration and theoretical orientation

Cognitive behavioral therapy involves the negative patterns of the world and an individual therefore, they are challenged so as to change unwanted behavior patterns also treat mood disorders like depression. The approach is helpful in Christian integration to help different kinds of people or families with different issues or challenges. Spiritual foundations and the influence of a person to bring him or her close to God are primary anchors in this approach. The blend of both cognitive and behavioral methods brings healing to a person or client. “The way we perceive our emotions influences how we feel emotionally” (Sutherland, S. 2018). Therefore by changing the way we think automatically changes our behaviors and emotional responses.

 According to Sutherland (2018), the way or manner in which individuals behave is determined by their cognitions. To be able to change the way individuals structure the experience they get is crucial in changing the disorderly feelings or actions. The perceptions of individual’s person and world for instance how the world influences them in making choices and how they can bring changes in the world using personal experience enables them to know how to handle relationships, career, and sexuality (DiBlasio, F. A. (1998). Therefore the way the individuals handles all these depends on their beliefs on how God thinks about them. In return, it impacts the relationships and interactions that are accompanied by emotions and beliefs of individuals towards each other. Thus, this perspective and education has to be offered to clients during Christian integration sessions if the client allows.

When doing counseling with families and couples who have an aim to solve or come out of painful and conflictual situations, a mix of Christian integrating and cognitive therapy are to be used.  The biblical bases should exists so as to be able to make a choice of forgiving. The bible says,” Forgive as the Christ father forgave us” (Sutherland, S. 2018). The Christ-like forgiveness aids families to grow in a healthy way and create a better homeostatic environment in a family.

Conclusion                                                          

In conclusion family counseling entails employing appropriate techniques to be able to sort out and solve issues. Structural therapy involves a part of family counseling approach that identifies the strengths of a family and tries to change the families whenever a dysfunctional form of interaction occurs. Christian integration can also be employed in some situations since they literally use spiritual beliefs and religious culture in counseling. Therefore, family counseling can be approached using different techniques depending on the level of the issues and the client’s beliefs.

References

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