Family Therapy

In this discussion you will apply some of your understanding of family therapy to the following scenario:

Debbie is 18 years old and has come in to see a counselor because she knows that she desperately needs help. Debbie says that she sleeps 14 to 15 hours a day and would probably sleep the whole day if her mother did not wake her up to go to college. She says that she has lost interest in everything. Her parents want her to be a doctor, but she feels that this is not what she wants to be. Debbie prefers to be alone in her room. Her mother constantly nags her about her laziness and sarcastically cuts her down as a way to “motivate” her to do something with her life. Debbie has a very strained relationship with her father who is seldom at home because he is working two jobs. The future seems hopeless to Debbie, and she often thinks about committing suicide, though her parents do not know this. She has thought of cutting her wrist but has not been able to do so. She keeps hoping that she will feel better the next day. Her counselor has diagnosed Debbie with depression and is suggesting that in addition to Debbie’s individual counseling the family also begin counseling sessions.

Please respond to the following questions:

Of the three approaches to family therapy mentioned in the lecture notes this week (Experiential, Structural and Strategic), which do you think Debbie and her family would benefit from most? Give a detailed rationale for your choice with supportive evidence from the case study.
If you were the therapist working with Debbie and her parents, what would you assess as the main problem they are facing as a family? Be detailed in your response and include all three members in your assessment. Since a family system is a unit, all members affect each other.
How would you specifically intervene using the family therapy approach mentioned in question 1? Suggest at least two methods or techniques from your chosen theory that you believe would help this family toward healthier interaction. Explain each of these methods or techniques in detail.

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First Post

Faculty Lane

12/10/2013 11:23:10 AM

This discussion focuses on Debbie and her family.

We are given certain facts about this situation but what is missing? What else do we need to know in order to be able to get a fuller picture in order to help them?

Which type of family therapy would you use and why?

What is the most urgent thing here that needs attention? What would you do?

……………….Answer Preview…………………

Family therapy is very important since it enables family members to understand each other’s experiences, views and needs. It is advisable for the counselor to use strategic family therapy in Debbie’s case owing to its benefits in such situations. It is important to state that strategic family therapy is based on the functional explanation of the family. Strategic family therapy has been proved to be one of the effective family interventions in dealing with adolescent and teenager behavior problems such as depression. This form of family therapy offers paradoxical directives and straightforward solutions to the family members. It is important to note that adaptive family interactions play a crucial role in protecting the young family members from negative influences and depression. The counselor has already diagnosed Debbie with depression and this form of family therapy is the best to apply in this case. In the……………..

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