Family Systems/Family Therapy
Latest Publications

TOTAL DOCUMENTS

22
(FIVE YEARS 0)

H-INDEX

0
(FIVE YEARS 0)

Published By Routledge

9780203725184
Latest Documents Most Cited Documents Contributed Authors Related Sources Related Keywords

HOW WE GET INVOLVED WITH COURT-MANDATED PARENTS Because of the emotional intensity and conflict that is typical of many court-mandated clients, our approach begins with the initial telephone contact. When parents are ordered to therapy to help settle custody and/or visitation issues, usually one parent calls in explaining that they have been court-ordered to therapy. When this happens, we take down some basic information and explain that we must wait for the other parent to call in before therapy can begin. If we see one parent before making contact with the other, we are likely to become part of the adversarial climate characteristic of the court. In a few cases, an attorney or guardian ad litem will refer the case directly to us. They usually want to give us background information about the family. We thank them for this input and ask that they have the family call us directly so we can tell them about our center and how we work. We also tell the referral source that therapy will begin after we hear from both parents.When the first parent calls in, they often tell us that we shouldn't expect a call from the other parent, saying, "I asked him/her to come to therapy a hundred times when we were married and he/she always refused." Sometimes we receive a court-order from a judge in the mail; the court order explains who is referred to therapy and why. It usually states that the parents are having difficulty resolving issues regarding their children. These issues include disputes about visitation, custody, and financial support. It is important to note that some families we see are in the midst of the divorce process while others have been divorced for many years. THERAPIST POSITIONING We see our role with court-ordered families as flowing from our ideas about people, therapy, and change. So, when we work on these cases, we become part of a system of people engaged in a dialogue about the well-being of a family. It is important to note that no one involved with the family denies that the best interests of children are primary. What those best interests are, however, is open to debate. Our role, as we see it, is to join with members of each system (family,

2013 ◽  
pp. 109-120
Keyword(s):  
Financial Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Court Order ◽  
The Family ◽  
Court Mandated ◽  
To Come ◽  
Guardian Ad Litem

Whole Mind Approach

2013 ◽  
pp. 162-166

opportunities. Yet, statistics suggest that adolescent girls have ironi-cally found a way of achieving parity with their male counterparts. It is through their entry to the use and abuse of chemicals. It could be stated that drugs have become an artificial means of achieving em-powerment. • Since 1991, there is little difference in the rate of alcohol and il-licit drug use among eighth grade girls and boys. For some drugs, eighth grade girls have even higher rates of usage (e.g., inhalants and stimulants. (1995 Monitoring the Future Survey) (MTFS). • Heavy drinking has increased significantly among young, employed women over the last 40 years in the United States. As many as 16% of these women may be consuming three to five drinks per day (CASA, 1996; US Dept. of Health & Human Ser-vices, Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, 1991). • In 1995, nearly one-tenth of eighth grade girls were current smokers, the same rate for eighth grade boys (CASA, 1995). • Young women between the ages of 16 and 22 are more likely to smoke cigarettes than their male counterparts (US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, 1991). • From 1991 to 1995, the rate of past-month marijuana use among eighth grade girls has risen slightly faster than the rate among boys during the same period, (MTFS, 1995). • Today's daughters are 15 times likelier than their mothers to be-gin using illegal drugs by the age of 15 (CASA, 1996, p. 2). The rise in the statistics for females is compelling in relation to the prevention dollars that have been spent in the last 20 years. Drug Use as a Metaphor of Independence and Dependence However, to view use of a substance as a solution to a problem casts a different shadow upon our understanding of the motivating forces to use and abuse chemicals in our society. This in turn presents a whole new interpretation of risk and prevention. In a profound twist, sub-stance abuse can be seen as a symptom that is "socially useful" or functional in our society. The symptom is a metaphorical expression of and response to cultural ailments. Addiction is an attempt at its remedy (Barrett, 1992). It can be best understood as an adaptation to one's environment (Peele, 1989), albeit a poor one. In this framework,

2013 ◽  
pp. 45-60
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Substance Abuse Prevention ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
The United States ◽  
Eighth Grade ◽  
Abuse Prevention ◽  
Monitoring The Future ◽  
New Interpretation ◽  
Metaphorical Expression

women services, preventive services and mental health services, than any other type of center" (Weisman et al., 1995 p. 108). They offered programs including menopause counseling, hormone replacement therapy and diagnosis and treatment of menstrual problems. Repro-ductive health centers provided for more gynecological exams, preg-nancy tests and contraceptive services. Compared to primary centers, reproductive health centers provided less general exams and offered fewer preventive services like blood pressure monitoring and immu-nizations. Along with the emergence of hospital sponsored programs of the 1980's came the creation of breast centers. Some diagnostic type breast centers offered only screenings and imaging services while others were comprehensive centers providing for screening along with diagnosis and treatment. Breast centers were found to offer more breast care services than other types of women's centers but again the range of services offered from one center to another was vastly differ-ent; 95% of breast centers offered diagnostic mammography, and 93% also provided self-breast exam instruction. Also 71% provided for biopsies and ultrasound and 37% provided for breast cancer treatment. Other women centers were found to be a mix of models; some education, some referral services, some independent support groups and some that also provided minimal clinical services. Many offered inpatient units for obstetrics and gynecology and outpatient services for breast screening. Education and information services were found to be an important component of the women's centers offerings. Many provided support groups as well as community agency referrals. Childbirth education classes, baby and you classes and exercise and diet classes usually were provided for an extra fee. Implications to Marketing The survey found many hospitals marketed their services to women because they perceived them as major consumers of health care and as referral sources for their families' health. Hence, a primary purpose was to increase hospital use and, therefore, revenue. Hospitals were and still are being innovative in their use of space. These hospital owned women's centers tended to be considerably market-oriented. They offered the opportunity to provide both a therapeutic milieu tailored to women and access to the resources of the larger institution. They appear to be a viable option for women and for the hospital

2013 ◽  
pp. 31-36
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Blood Pressure Monitoring ◽  
Hormone Replacement ◽  
Preventive Services ◽  
Health Centers ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Outpatient Services ◽  
Women's Centers ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Breast Centers

self-

2013 ◽  
pp. 101-104
Load More ...
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document