Therapist Perspective Paper Essay Example for Free

Therapist Perspective Paper Essay A sixteen year old teenager refuses to leave home and the therapist must review the situation from a MRI therapeutic approach. First, the MRI approach would not focus on the problem or how it developed but rather what efforts have the parent made to reach a resolution. MRI stems from the premise that families use practical attempts at resolving their situation but the attempts are ill-advised. MRIà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s main focus is aimed at dilemma driven solutions; there is no advantage in long term change or what capacity the problem serves within the family. Haley and Madanes derive from the same school of thought but with some differences. Haley interest lay in the power struggles that exist and believe the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“symptom such that the cost of keeping it up outweighed the gainsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . (Niolon, 1999) Madanes was worried about out of place hierarchies, where an adolescent uses problems to alter the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“behavior of parentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . (Niolon, 1999) Both agree that families function within a hierarchical order, thereby reconstructing the hierarchical and boundary issues that will prohibit à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“dysfunctional feedback loops from starting, a sort of plan ahead strategyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . (Madanes, 1981) The belief is as families we have problematic stages to endure, in order to arrive at a resolution stage. A therapist using this approach would also focus on the parents, along with family interactions. Therefore, the reason Jose has the problem is the behavior he has been learned from his parents, he has developed a problem from his observation of how his parentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s interact and solve problems. The Milanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s school of thought is not solution driven but founded in the power struggles within the family dynamics that have occurred over a long period of time even through several generations enabling the familyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s problems to continue Techniques used for intervention in the strategic and systemic therapies are based in the belief that situations are keep up by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“self-defeating patterns of behaviorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . (Madanes, 1981) Therefore, in order to effectively make change within the family, there must be a modification in the structure/dynamic of the family. MRI therapist believe that families or individuals are entrenched in their problems and need assistance moving forward. Therapist will assist the family and Jose in setting achievable behavioral solutions. Additionally, MRI models the concept of help the family to reach resolution with a particular issue and ignore other issues unless the family or individual specifically ask for therapy on the other issues. Moreover, one must set obtainable and clear objectives, and once this objective has been attained therapy will concluded. MRI therapist would inquire of the parents what strategies have they imposed to get Josh to go outside. (Nichols, 2012) Haley and Madanes objective is often a realignment of the hierarchy within the family and across generations; focusing only on the realignment that relate to the current issue. Meaning, the therapist will work on enhancing the relationship with Jose and his antagonistic parents. To achieve this objective the parents will need to discuss the problem that exist within their relationship in order to help Jose. Theorist believe that establishing trust within the family, allows the family to pay attention to the present issue. The difference with Haley and Madanes from MRI is the belief that once the present issue has been sustained/managed and trust established the exploration of other family issues can be dealt with. Furthermore, therapy can continue beyond resolving the current problem but can terminate once effective change has occurred within the fundamental factors that created the issue. The Haley therapist would focus on a dysfunctional triangle and the conflict between the parents. Additionally, Madanes would also be interested in the triangulation but would also focus on the fact that Josh could be protecting his parents. Milan held the basic belief that therapy effects change, and that the therapist is charged with the duty of outsmarting the family at their own games; by creating strategic methods that expose the families à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“dirty gamesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Nichols, 2012) and then one can began to reshape the family purpose. Reshaping techniques help families understand or effect change by helping families view their situation through a different lens. Moreover, the therapist would locate the power alliances within the family and those alliances extending across generations which perpetuate or broker the families à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“dirty gamesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . (Nichols, 2012) In conclusion the therapist must understand the strategic and systemic approaches in order to effect change in Josh and his family. Sometimes it is necessary to dig beneath the surface of a problem and get to the root even if family member are uncomfortable disclosing family secrets that have been guarded for generations. Additionally, breaking family bonds and upsetting the cohesive alliances that have banded together for generations is an effective measure to get family members to reshape their actions and thought process.