Vignette Analysis II

Family Systems Theory: Vignette Analysis II
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Introduction
Family therapy is embedded in the understanding of the psyche of clients and prescribing/guiding them towards a solution to their problem. In a family setup, the therapist has to consider all the parties involved so that it can able to regain the sanity it had before. Although some aspects may be missed due to hidden motives of the clients, it is thus vital for the therapist to use a suitable model depending on the case. Different models are employed in certain approaches that best evaluates particular problems facing families. For instance, the couple focused therapy is best used to re-establish a relationship between couples with different emotional understanding. Nichols and Davis (2017) explain that as for the psychologists, the clients are assumed to be “sick” and that they need support to settle the dilemma. For this reason, it becomes paramount for a therapist to be able to explore different angles of the problem by directly or indirectly sourcing the perceptions of the members of the problem. At the end of it all, the members could have given an account of what is happening between them. For the sake of further evaluation of the probable cause of the problem, it is wise to scrutinize the background (mainly growth and family) of the parents in the family. These can be used to narrow down what may be shaping up their minds. Is it culture or is it experience from their past lives? It is, therefore, vital to evaluate the family critically before settling on a contingency to counter the challenge they may be having.

Assessment of the Family
Margaret and Claudia’s differences in their past explain most of their attributes. It can also be the indicative factor of the kind of the relationship they are having. Judging from the violence domestic abuse both underwent during their childhood lives, it is clear that the perpetrators of the violence were of the same gender. The emotional attachment and change of feeling towards the male persons may be the primary reason why they are a lesbian couple. Although culturally the man is the head of the house in most cultures, the same is detected in this family. Claudia seems to be overshadowed by Margaret even in front of their adopted sons. The same dominance is seen to be transferred to the children who laugh off Claudia while mimicking Margaret. Between the couple, Claudia is submissive and allows Margaret to express her feeling on her behalf. Whatever is said by Claudia seems to be non-essential according to her partner. The most vital component of expression and freedom to give opinions, in this case, is impaired.
Communication is a very critical aspect of a healthy family. The circulation of information without opposition is thus imperative if equality is to be attained in a household (Woods, Priest, & Denton, 2015). Although Claudia and Margaret are not having a session aimed at solving their difference but rather counseling on child adoption issues, a problem presents itself during the session. There is evidence of communication breakdown and domestic violence in the family. First, although both deny having any form of substance abuse, Margaret is detected to have taken alcohol. Furthermore, she controls what her partner talks and to an extend talks on her behalf. Such an environment cannot be suitable to raise the children owing to the events that led to their adoption. According to societal perceptions, children are said to develop while imitating the behaviors of their mentors. The boys can easily pick the intimidation seen between the couple.
Domestic violence is among the major contributors of the disintegration of families. Depending on the form of the battering one undergoes, he//she may develop an attitude towards certain things. For Margaret, she was brought up by a foster family other than the biological family. Sexual abuse may be the reason she ended up having intimate feeling towards persons of her gender. The same case is Claudia whose father was alcoholic and abusive. The developments of such in the life of an individual shape most of their future decisions and perceptions. The interaction ability of this family can be said to be relatively impaired. As seen, the children already know that Claudia is inferior in the family. Although this may not have a striking effect on the growth of the children, it will affect their interactions with Claudia as a parent. The growth and development of children need a facilitating environment for them to thrive. They do not flourish in sublime indifference to an interpersonal world.
The ability of parents to provide their children with a feeling of security and safety depends on their relation and how secure they feel (Nichols & Davis, 2017). Since the boys come from a neglected family that endangered their lives, it is imperative that these feelings and anxiety they developed in their original family. However, this atmosphere is not easily depicted in this family. Lack of coordination between the two parents and lack of gender balance may affect the growth of the boys if the couple does not match their interests. Usually, the children will tend to draw their strengths with identifying themselves with the powers of their parents. Parents are therefore pivotal in the growth of children, especially at their young ages. From the observation that Margaret already had the audacity to attend a counseling session under the influence of alcohol indicates the depth of the problem in the family. Her actions during the second session are justified by the detection of substance abuse in the first session. Under such influence of substances, the children can easily be neglected once again in their adoption family.
From the past life conditions of all members of this family, there seem to be unconscious impulses and defenses against them. The family background of couples to a large degree defines their understanding with each other. For instance, the emotional detachment of men that lead the two to be a lesbian couple may be related to the acts of their batterers in their respective families. Margaret having been brought up by foster parents, she has shaped her mind and the aggression she displays may have come from the defensive mechanisms she was using during the sexual abuse in her original family. As for Claudia, the submissive behavior and seemingly adaptable to abuse is explained by the humiliation and domestic violence she underwent under her alcoholic father. The boys, on the other hand, are unable to depict their stance on different issues adequately. Although they seem more aligned to Margaret’s behavior, it’s hard to judge them owing to their young age. The family seems to lack balance in parenting, and this may interfere with the development of these children. Furthermore, the communication breakdown, lack of emotional understanding, substance abuse and domestic abuse problem may present challenges in the family. It, therefore, depends on how the therapist will add value to this relationship by providing a suitable treatment plan (Savla, Wang, Roberto, & Blieszner, 2016).
Treatment Plan
The family is seen to have emotional suppression cases as displayed by Margaret’s actions during the second session. Substance abuse and domestic abuse is growing between the couple. The children are supposed to have a favorable environment to flourish and recover from the sufferings of their previous family. It is, however, seen that there is disjoint in opinions in the family parenting since Claudia has no much of freedom to air her views. To further increase the effect of the children are slowly picking the behaviors of Margaret who openly opposes and Claudia and terms her opinions as “stupid.” Strategies to correct these flaws in the family are thus essential. There are a variety of models of family therapy that can be used depending on the direction the solution needs to take. As per the history of the household, it is seen that there are hidden unconscious impulses and defenses in the couple. Psychoanalytic therapy, in this case, can be a useful tool in addressing the issue. For the sake of making the family realize their flaws and inconsistent interactions coupled with the needs for children to grow in a healthy environment, solution focused therapy can give a more elaborate plan. It is, therefore, essential to design a plan that adequately addresses the issues and provide a clear understanding among the members.
Psychoanalytic Family Therapy
The intrapsychic conflicts that stem from the childhood of the family members may have blocked some impulses in them (Nichols & Davis, 2017). For this reason, uncovering these impulses is paramount. It is believed that mentality and impulses control the actions and the doings of an individual. They redirect and take charge of most of the decisions one makes in life. For the case of this family, treating it means more of uncovering their hidden emotions from the past lives. To achieve this milestone; first, it is vital first to identify the forces behind the withdrawal of the members when talking about their past. In separate sessions with parents and children, it can be easier to arouse these feelings. For instance, for the case of the children, saying that “Your new parents love you dearly” may generate a sense of importance. In addition, it produces awareness that they are lovable. Emotions of how what love entail created a bond between the children and their new parents. Also, allowing the children to air their concerns about the parents may make it possible to realize more flaws in the family.
By following the four basic techniques of psychoanalytic therapy, a solution can easily be deliberated; listening, empathy, interpretation, and neutrality. In this case, as a therapist listening to Margaret and Claudia air their concerns in directed sessions can uncover their hidden emotions and bring to light the problem that exists. Interpretation of the claims of each member should have a neutral stand on their matters. Relaxing their defenses then follows and this entails allowing them address each other and share their concerns. These concerns may range from the welfare of the children, mechanisms of ensuring they develop like other children despite the absence of a male parent and maybe personal concerns of the partners. By using such a technique in 5-15 sessions with both the children and the parents can enable the family to develop a strong bond and thus flourish without limitations.
Solution Focused Therapy
This model makes use of solution-oriented questions to solve some of the problems a family may be having. Working on principles of fixing whatever is broken, this therapy model is meant to recreate lost cohesion within a family (Woods, Priest, & Denton, 2015). Margaret and Claudia’s relationship is having fault lines that need to be corrected for the sake of the children too. Since the children are too young to comprehend the dynamics of the family, their treatment can be achieved through the parents. So, by assuming clients are masters of their lives, asking focused questions can be vital in developing a baseline for the solution. For instance asking Claudia “How do you cope with the way your partner acts and treats you?” can bring a sense of understanding to Margaret that her actions are not fair to her. Subsequent questions aimed at sourcing more information and extorting the inner feeling of each other can surface all the flaws in the relationship. As a therapist, letting the couple address themselves in a free manner under observation can strengthen the weakening bond between them.
For children, since they may not seem to realize the disjoint in the parents’ ideas clearly, asking them simple but resourceful questions can be necessary. “Among the two parents who treats you the best and why?” can be used to check the necessity of adjustment of parenting. Furthermore, asking the how their life is as from their previous family can be used to show any changes in their perceptions. In some sessions, following up on the improvements made after the exposure of the inner feelings can be useful in making the family grow in a more natural and organized manner free from abuse and emotional misunderstanding.
Conclusion
Misunderstandings in families are orchestrated by emotions, psychological changes or differences in cultural practices. It is believed that a family whose parents originate from the same culture will tend to understand each other more than those from different cultures. Influence of gender also has a contribution to the way a family is run. Those that have children have more challenges since there has to be a sense of balance in the allocation of responsibilities. Naturally, a family is composed of a father, mother, and children. However, the children can be from different parents, and also the parents can be of the same gender. The original background history of the partners likewise influences the way they behave in their adulthood life. In the events of the problems in any household, there is need to call for the intervention of a third party to neutralize the problem.
References
Nichols, M. P., & Davis, S. (2017). Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods (11 ed.). Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780133826883/
Savla, J., Wang, Z., Roberto, K. A., & Blieszner, R. (2016). Deficits Awareness in Persons With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Family Care Partners. Families Systems & Health. doi: DOI: 10.1037/fsh0000230
Woods, S. B., Priest, J. B., & Denton, W. H. (2015). Predicting Improvement in Depression Across Therapies Using Indicators of Romantic Relationship Functioning: A Preliminary Investigation. American Journal of Family Therapy, 43(1), 44-56.