Genograms
Multicultural Families
A genogram (pronounced: jen-uh-gram) chart is a method of graphically the describing relationships between individuals. Primarily used by mental health experts, this diagram can help identify positive and negative influences surrounding an individual.
Genograms are similar to a family tree. They display links of heredity.
Definition:
A genogram is a structural diagram of a family’s three-or four-generational relationship system. Its aim is to show how patterns are transmitted and how past events such as death, illness, great success, or immigration have influenced current patterns and how they affect family dyads and triangles. It allows for the therapist and family to view these phenomena together. This approach is all about history-taking and at times it brings “skeletons out of the closet” and permits a rich vertical view of the family.
Procedure:
The object is to obtain and diagram a history of the problem, nuclear family, and extended families of both husband and wife, preferably for at least three generations. The therapist begins this method for collecting data to help understand and solve the problem. This method is usually done in the presence of all family members old enough to listen and learn about their family.
Evaluation:
The evaluation begins by focusing on what the symptoms are. The therapist is interested in who has the symptoms, when the symptoms began, and what has been the clinical course.
FAMILY COUNSELING
The role of family therapy in a school setting is forever changing. School counselors are becoming more aware of the importance of intervention that includes the family (Hinkle). There are several pros and cons to family intervention in the schools, according to research reports. According to Austin, Erdman, and Cook, the advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages. One advantage is that families feel more comfortable and less threatened when talking to the school counselor because the counseling sessions are perceived as conferences rather than therapy. In addition, teachers and parents tend to identify the school counselor as being available more often on a regular and consistent basis, and the counselor is considered to be an advocate for the child. One of the disadvantages is that parents have a stigma that is associated with counseling, therefore this discourages them from becoming involved in counseling programs. It is absolutely necessary that the school counselor attains knowledge and is retrained to deal with issues that stem from within family dynamics. Without this information the school counselor will not be effective nor will she be qualified to conduct family therapy in a school setting. On a positive note, school counselors can really appreciate the effectiveness of family counseling approaches with children, because they see results on a daily basis. According to Hinkle, school counselors utilizing family counseling within the schools have reported successful interventions for brief periods of time when compared to lengthy individual counseling. To what extent can a school counselor offer family counseling? The school counselor must conduct assessments of the family's ability to change and she must define the key concepts of the problems that occur within a family system. Assessments should include whether or not the family understands their strengths and weaknesses toward solving and dealing with family problems. Key concepts should include establishing a relationship, demonstrating concern, and sharing positive traits about the child to the family. There are several instances where it would be appropriate for the school counselor to meet with the family. In some situations the family could benefit from assistance when the child exhibits disruptive behavior or when a child becomes troubled at school when a crisis occurs at home. A school counselor can apply family counseling to assist the child in dealing with or rethinking his problems and to help the child's family in finding solutions to problems. In 1988 in Madison, Wisconsin the Families and Schools Together program (FAST) was developed that is a school-based elementary level program that builds bonds, trust, and supportive networks for families and children. It increases parent involvement with children, at school and at home (McDonald). Extra funding, time, and training are necessary tools that are needed to implement family counseling into the schools. The school counselor needs to become experienced and knowledgeable in the areas of child development, systems theory and psychology. Once intervention has been planned and implemented, students and their families will benefit greatly. The best vantage point from which to view an individual is a systemic context (the family or community of which he or she is a part). Symptoms of an individual's problems are best understood within the context of a dysfunctional system. Because an individual is connected to a living system, change in one part of that system will result in change in other parts. To focus primarily on studying the internal dynamics of an individual without adequately considering interpersonal dynamics yields an incomplete picture of the person. Significant changes within an individual are not likely to be made or maintained unless the client's network of intimate relationships is taken into account. Family therapy needs to include an examination of how one's culture has influenced each member. An appropriate role for the family therapist is teacher, model, and coach. Unresolved emotional fusion to one's family needs to be resolved if one hopes to achieve a mature and independent personality. Differentiating oneself from one's family of origin is best viewed as a lifelong developmental process. It is essential that students of family therapy deal with their own problematic family issues to enhance their psychological functioning and their clinical effectiveness. A central goal of family therapy should be the resolution of the family's presenting problems. To understand a family's structure, it is useful to pay attention to who says what to whom and in what way. Because the larger social structure affects the organization of a family, it is essential that the influence of the community on the family be considered. Effective family therapy should be brief, should focus on solutions, and should deal with the here-and-now interactions within a family. It is the family therapist's responsibility to plan a strategy for resolving clients' problems. A family therapist needs to be active and sometimes directive in working with a family. Intuitiveness, spontaneity, creativity, self-disclosure, and willingness to take risks are important personal characteristics in a family therapist. In doing family therapy it is essential to pay attention to both the verbal and nonverbal communication patterns within a family. An appropriate goal of family therapy is the growth of individuals and the family rather than merely stabilizing the family. In dealing with resistant members of a family, it may be therapeutically useful to use manipulation and indirect procedures, such as paradoxical interventions.
