Category: Family

The behavior model in the Utku family shows typical Eskimo traits such as the mans dominant role and respect for older family members. However, in the Inuttiaq family, there are differences from this pattern in the very favorable treatment of children. A characteristic feature of behavior in the Utku family was calmness and neutrality, which can be seen in Inuttiaqs condescending reaction to his new daughters failures in learning (Briggs, 1971, p. 1359). In addition, it is necessary to consider that there was also a soft attitude toward the younger family members, as could be seen in the daughters behavior. She protested against being braided and had no reprimands from her parents (Briggs, 1971, p. 1116). Another characteristic of family behavior is ignoring family members when doing ones chores, which was not observed when Inuttiac referred to family members (Briggs, 1971, p. 1616). A common characteristic of Utku was the different family interactions at other times of the year. The families interacted actively in summer and kept mainly a typical household, while in winter, they were almost wholly separated (Briggs, 1971, p. 1740). Generally, the Inuttiaq family is typical of the Utku, but a calm attitude towards children distinguishes it.

Comparing Inuttiaq with the head of the family I grew up in, it is possible to identify several standard and distinctive features. The most distinct similarities include a respectful attitude toward the head of the family. Nevertheless, the influence level of the family head in my case was not as high compared to the Utku. Pronounced neutrality in any situation is instead a distinguishing factor. In my family, a more emotional interaction model is realized, including negative and positive reactions. This aspects most significant distinctive feature is ignoring other family members while in the same space. However, it is necessary to specify the limitation associated with living conditions since the Utku tents and igloos do not allow for the separate accommodation of family members (Briggs, 1971, p. 1562). In general, the role of Inuttiaq has similar features to the head of the family where I grew up. Nevertheless, this role in the Utku family features a greater degree of patriarchal tendencies and peculiar attitudes toward relatives.

Reference

Briggs, J. L. (1971). Never in anger: Portrait of an Eskimo family [eBook edition]. Harvard University Press. Web.

Introduction

There is freedom of worship in the US and one can join any religion she/he feels like. Everyone has control of his/her life and is responsible for the actions he takes. One can do everything that pleases him as long as his actions do not hurt another person. However, some people have left others to think for them and will blindly follow instructions without having a second thought or without evaluating the effects of their actions.

This has led to the development of many cults some of which involve themselves in criminal actions. A cult can be defined as a group of individuals headed by a single or a group of leaders who take control over the lives of the members by setting rules that have to be followed without questioning. People become members of a cult as they try to search for a group in which they can feel connected to. This happens when individuals feel down and their self-esteem diminishes, they feel weak and ready to accept any solace that comes their way. As a result they find themselves in cults and detaching themselves from them becomes a problem.

The history of cults dates back to the 1960s when cults like the Manson family emerged. The family emerged as a Christian gathering and could observe rituals as those observed in other churches. The leader of this family is called Charles Manson. This cult differs from other cults in that it is a destructive cult which causes a higher degree of harm than other cults. The main motive towards the formation of this cult was to take revenge of all the discouragement and rejection Manson had received from the society. This paper gives an overview of Mansons life, how the family was formed and the mass killings that the family involved itself in, and what happened after the killings. It will also give an overview of the life today and what many people think about the family.

Charles Mansons life

Charles Manson was born in November 1934. He is known to be the worst and devilish criminal to have lived on earth. Throughout his life, he has organized and participated in many murders that not only shock America but the whole world and he is still feared by many Americans. Since his childhood, he has grown with the ability to manipulate and control people through his cunning attitude. He managed to create a cult family that (through his instructions) murdered a big number of innocent people (Nikolas 10).

The people who were murdered were not in any way related to the motive behind the killing but were just victims of circumstances. His deviant behavior is somehow related to his upbringing because he was brought by a mother who was a prostitute during her teenage years. His father walked out of his mother when she still pregnant and never showed his face again. Latter, his mother was determined to at least give Manson a name and this made her to marry again although she was later abandoned.

Being left by two husbands, Mansons mother felt as is the world had come to an end and was often distressed. She resorted to neglect Manson at a very tender age. She even tried to give him up in foster homes although the arrangements were futile. She really wanted to get rid of him and sent him to school at a far away place. However, he was later sent home due to his mothers inability to pay for his school fees.

Manson crime life started while he was 14 years after he decided to run away from his mothers abuse. He involved himself in pretty theft to obtain some money for food and to pay the room he had rented. Later, his mother learnt about his whereabouts and informed the juvenile authorities who sent him to a detention center. He only spent three days in the center and run away before he was arrested in Peoria after stealing from a grocery store. He was taken to a Boys school in Plainfield, but by them he had developed a deviant behavior and he run away as often as he could although he would not go far before he was caught.

He was sent from one school to another and he did not have a place he could call a home and had no family either. Throughout his childhood, he lived a troubled life and was sent from one place to another, this started when his mother neglected him and was left without a family to call his own or a future to look up to. This made him turn into being a criminal and thats when an idea of forming the family clicked his mind. He was determined to at least to find a family and to revenge on the society for all the cruelty he had to go through (Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance 6).

The Manson family

Manson married his first wife called Rosalie Willis in 1954 when he was 19 years. They later gave birth to a son (Charles monsoon Jr.) two years later although Monson was arrested again for stealing. His wife could not bear to live alone and divorced Monson and married again. Monson was later released from prison although he had become a hard criminal and started stealing again. He married his second wife, Leona and was blessed with a son (Smith and Rose 103).

In 1960, he was arrested again and just like his first wife, Leona divorced him. It was in prison that he met and became friend with Alvin Krapis who was a former member of the then famous gang, Ma Barker. Manson was taught how to play the guitar by Karpis and he developed a passion for music. He wrote many songs and started singing and could see a bright future ahead of him. He thought he would soon become a famous musician once he was out of prison.

After spending six years in prison, Monson was released and went to San Francisco not forgetting his drugs and guitar. He still hoped to become a famous musician although his dream was not long lived. He met the beach boys who recorded one of his songs and thought Melcher (one of the beach boys) would help him in music (Tommy 24). However, this never happened and Monson was quite upset. He had already gathered some followers and they moved to Spahn Ranch and his group formed the destructive cult called the family

The members of the Manson family were completely under the control of Manson and would follow any order given to them. He would convince them that, they were doing no wrong because they were simply following orders given by a man they perceived to be Jesus Christ incarnate. To completely control and manipulate his followers, he borrowed ideas from other cults that existed in the 1960s. During the life of this destructive cult, many lives have been brutally murdered without cause and the murderers seemed not to care. They were ready to sacrifice their own life and risk imprisonment for a man they hardly knew.

The mass killings

One early morning in August 1969 (9th to be precise), police officers arrived at 10050 Cielo Drive and were left without words because of what they saw; dead bodies were lying allover and some of them were stabbed severally. Some of the murdered people were Steven Parent who had about four bullet wounds and was stabbed on the neck, and Voytek Frykowski who had two bullet wounds and at least 51 stabs. Another body was lying on the lawn which had been stabbed 28 times. As they got into the seating, they were in more shock because more bodies were lying on the floor with blood over including the body of a woman who was eight months pregnant. This was the familys first mass murder, referred to as the Tate homicides (Vincent 25).

Two days after the mass killings at the home of Sharon, another homicide occurred (the LaBianca murders). This happened in the home of Rosemary LaBianca and Leno who were stabbed to death. Other mass killings were carrying out by the family leaving the entire nation in fear, including the police officers who witnessed the scene of the crimes. Greatly angered by the events that took place, the police carried out a thorough investigation to locate the clothing of the murders so as to serve as evidence in court (Anon. Susan Atkins Story of 2 Nights of Murder 3).

However, their investigation did not bear results since they could not find the clothing although they were later saved the agony by a television news crew which managed to find the clothing. It was found that, Manson never took part in the killings but the killers were members of the family who were just following orders issued by their leader (Manson).

Motives of the murderers

Many people have been wondering what might have triggered the mass killings. There seem to be no direct motive behind these killings although some motives have been identified which seems to be connected to the murders. Some of these motives are:

1. The main motive is that, Manson wanted to take revenge on the society because of the hostility he had to go through at a very tender age
2. Earlier on Manson had tried to record his first song but the music industry rejected him. This angered him and he was determined to revenge on the injustice he went through. His main target was the Tate house because it reminded him of the rejection he received from Terry Melcher who refused to help him in music.
3. Manson had lived such a miserable live that, he neither experienced nor understood the meaning of love. He was not concerned about death and it did not matter the number of people who died as long as he got his revenge.
4. Once the Helter Skelter song was released by the Beatles, Manson and his followers believed that, the song predicted a race war that was about to occur. They believed this would happen in 1969 when the blacks would take revenge on the whites and slaughter them in a war known as Armageddon. Manson had come to the conclusion that, he was destined to be a beneficiary of Armageddon. However, this never took place but Manson could not swallow his words and was determined to carry on with his mission which led to the mass killings of the 1969 (Emmons 13).

Arrest of the family

The police took many months before they could identity the murderers. However, after being assisted by the television news crew to locate the clothing, they were able to identity who were responsible for the mass killings and the the family was held responsible and arrested in December 1969. Their trial began in July 1970 and on 25 January the following year; Manson and three of the family members were convicted of murder and found guilty and sentenced to death.

However, in 1972, laws were changed in California and the death sentence was outlawed. This favored Manson and his followers who were later sentenced to life imprisonment which they serve up to this day. They have been in prison for more than three decades though it is documented that Manson receives many mails form friends and well wishers more than any other inmate in the U.S. prisons (Pellowski 50).

In August 1997, Manson was found guilty of a drug bust and moved from Corcoran prison to Pelican Bay State Prison which was believed to be the toughest of the prisons in the United States. He was actually put in a separate cell where he could not contact other inmates. This was a tough time for him since he had learnt how to control and manipulate people and he could not do it in the separate cell. However, in March 1998, he was taken back to Corcoran prison where he is believed to be serving his life imprisonment to this date (Edward and Dary 43). He goes for parole from time to time although it seems as if he will end up spending his entire life in prison.

One of Mansons followers Leslie Van Houten, who is also sentenced to life imprisonment, has been seeking for parole although she has been denied more than 14 times. She was one of the murderers during the LaBianca homicide. During her time in prison, she has managed to obtain a bachelors and masters degree and has been a disciplined inmate. She has realized her mistake and has formed a rehabilitation group which addresses alcohol and drug abuse. It is now more than 30 years since she participated in the serial killings and she is now a renewed person. Witnesses say that, for the last three or so decades, she has not tasted drugs and is now more of a leader than an inmate.

The prison has really transformed his life and if given a chance, she is ready to start a new life (Watkins and Soledad 72). After some of the family members were arrested, the family did not die. Lynette Fromme (one of the Manson obedient members), took over leadership of the family. She had couple of followers mostly women who were ready to continue with what Manson had started. In September 1975, Fromme tried to assassinate the then president of U.S., Gerald R. However, she was not successful and was later arrested (Blankstein 4)

Conclusion

Today, the members of the family are longing to have their freedom back. It is now about 40 years since the destructive cult conducted the brutal mass killings. Manson is now 74 years old and him together with the other followers eagerly waiting for the day they will be set free. One of the followers, Susan Atkins, was suffering from cancer but the Supreme Court denied her request for a compassionate release. She later died in September 2009 at the age of i6 years (Fox 6). Most of these members have reformed their lives after realizing their stupidity. Many people argue that, they have learnt their lesson while in prison and it is time to release.

However, many people still live in fear and some of the families of the murdered victims still attend parole hearing to ensure that these murders rot in prison. Their future is not known although many people argue that, their life in meant to be in prison considering the acts they committed.

Works Cited

Anon. Susan Atkins Story of 2 Nights of Murder Los Angeles Times, 1969.

Blankstein, Andrew Manson follower Susan Atkins dies at 61. Los Angeles Times. 2009.

Edward George, and Dary Matera. Taming the Beast: Charles Mansons Life Behind Bars. New York: St. Martins Press, 1999.

Emmons, Nuel. Manson in His Own Words. New York: Grove Press, 1988.

Fox, Margalit Susan Atkins, Manson Follower, Dies at 61. New York Times. 2009.

Nikolas Schreck. The Manson File. New York: Amok Press, 1988.

Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Destructive cults: The Family; Charles Manson, 2008. Web.

Pellowski, Michael J. The Charles Manson Murder Trial: A Headline Court Case. California: Enslow Publishers, 2004.

Smith, David E. and Rose, Alan J. A Case Study of the Charles Manson Group Marriage Commune. Journal of the American Society of Psychosomatic Dentistry and Medicine, 1970, 17 (3): 99106.

Tommy Udo. Charles Manson: Music, Mayhem, Murder. Sanctuary Records, 2002.

Vincent Bugliosi. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders. New York: W. W. Norton, 2001.

Watkins, Paul and Soledad, Guillermo. My Life with Charles Manson, New York: Bantam, 1979.

Different Models of Family Therapy

Family problems are the cause of psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and trauma, among others. The disorders are detrimental to an individuals health and may affect the family and the community at large. Family therapy is one of the most effective ways of treating broken relationships among family members. Narrative and internal family systems (IFS) are two common approaches to family therapy. While narrative therapy allows the patients to be their experts, IFS therapy identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities and families within an individuals mental systems. While narrative and IFS therapies have similarities and differences, narrative family therapy is the most effective approach when treating broken relationships within a family.

Narrative Therapy

Although expert opinions and advice is crucial, an individual perspective on a particular problem can be more significant. Narrative family therapy, propounded by Michael White and David Epston helps people become experts when solving their problems (Béres, 2022). The therapy opines that people have stories that they develop and carry with them through their lives. For instance, women who have been sexually harassed may experience trauma throughout their lives (Downey & Crummy, 2022). As individuals experience awful events and interactions in their lives, they give them meaning. Therefore, narrative family therapy aims to have an empowering effect and provides non-blaming and non-pathological counseling.

Conceptualization

Various techniques are adopted by therapists when defining the problem within the narrative therapy model. Putting together a narrative, externalization, deconstruction, and unique outcomes are the techniques that a narrative family therapist can adopt (Blaylock-Johnson, 2021). Telling ones story involves the therapists helping their clients to find their voice and explore events in their lives (Shelton et al., 2022). As the patients tell their stories, they identify the dominant and problematic story. Externalization allows the patients to narrate their experiences while creating a distance between themselves and their problems (Blaylock-Johnson, 2021). While externalization involves an already identified issue, putting together a personal narrative helps in identifying the dominant problem.

While narrative therapy is focused on an individuals perspective, a therapist can help the patients better identify a problem. Problematic stories may feel like to have been for a long period, confusing the clients. Consequently, the patients may over-generalize their life experiences, making it difficult to identify a dominant problem. Therapists help the patients divide their stories into smaller parts to clarify a problem and make it approachable through deconstruction (Blaylock-Johnson, 2021). Meanwhile, unique outcomes is applied when the stories feel concrete and as if they could never change. Therefore, the patients become stuck in their stories, influencing their behaviors and relationships. A narrative family therapist helps patients to challenge their problems and widen their views by considering alternatives.

Treatment Plan

Narrative therapy involves three main processes for a treatment plan: externalization, re-authoring conversations, and remembering conversations. Externalization of the problem involves a patients action of creating a distance between themselves and their problems. The process mirrors the mapping exercise steps of developing and experiencing near-problem definition, identifying and evaluating the effects of the problem, and justifying the evaluation (Blaylock-Johnson, 2021). After externalization, the therapists reauthor the conversations by helping the patients include neglected aspects and shifting the problem-centered narrative (Blaylock-Johnson, 2021). Finally, the conversations that actively engaged the clients are remembered in the process of renewing the relationships and removing those that no longer serve them.

Case Application: Narrative Therapy

In the case study, Jacies family seeks therapy because of the potentially broken family. Jacie and her husband, Edward, seemingly have a poor relationship that motivated the husband to seek divorce. The news may not be lightly accepted by the family members since they have had a consistent relationship of twenty-three years. The therapists would allow Jacie to narrate her story to identify the root cause of the conflict between her and her husband. Some of the issues that the therapists may discuss include any events that they have had marital problems.

Meanwhile, their sons will be involved in narrating how their parents conflicts have affected them. However, the therapy sessions with Jacie should be more than that with the sons since the overarching problem is the intimate relationship between her and her husband. The sessions should be between four to ten since it is a small group. Upon hearing their stories, the therapist would help Jacie focus on the dominant story that caused marital problems. After that, Jacie will be helped to renew her family relationship and remove the one that no longer serves her: her husband. Consequently, she might be helped to focus on her relationship with the sons and given mechanisms to strengthen it.

IFS

Psychological disorders are caused by an individuals wounded parts and painful emotions. Broken relationships, such as marriages, affect the individual emotionally and may put an entire family at risk. IFS helps patients to identify and address their sub-personalities, such as anger and shame (Popejoy, 2022). Therapists believe that individuals sub-personalities are often in conflict with each other and ones core self. IFS utilizes the family systems theory that individuals cannot be fully understood in isolation from the family unit. Consequently, the therapists develop techniques and mechanisms that address issues within an individual internal family. The approach combines individuals sub-personalities, and how they help in achieving better healing (Popejoy, 2022). IFS is an integrative model that assumes the human mind is subdivided into unknown parts and individuality should be central in coordinating the inner family.

Conceptualization

IFS adopts three main techniques to identify a dominant problem within the family relationship: firefighter, exile, and manager. The firefighter is an individuals parts that are protectors and are activated when a trigger is present (McVicker & Pourier, 2021). For instance, a therapist may remind the patient of a painful moment in their lives and use a behavior like substance use to put out the fire of pain. Meanwhile, the managers protect the patients by managing situations through active planning and avoiding pain by whichever means possible. The manager and the firefighter work to keep the exile from emerging, flooding the patient with memories of pain and trauma (McVicker & Pourier, 2021). Therefore, IFS adopts the managers, exile, and firefighters to trigger the dominant problem within an individual self.

Treatment Plan

IFSs treatment plan is a six-dimensional model that involves finding, focusing, fleshing out, feeling toward, befriending, and fearing. The therapists utilize the six steps consecutively to help the patients identify and address their problems. Find involves the therapists asking their patients to turn their attention inward, starting with meditation. The patients pay attention to the sensations in their bodies that come up to identify the part to work with (McVicker & Pourier, 2021). After that, the patients will be asked to focus on those parts. Once the patients have found and focused on the sensitive parts, they flesh them out. Consequently, they can see what else they can learn about the identified parts. Additionally, the patients can associate their different emotions with the parts.

Thereafter, the patients tell how they feel about those parts to help the therapists identify the role of the parts in their clients lives. Befriend involves the patients capacity to accept the existence of the parts that trigger negative emotions (McVicker & Pourier, 2021). The patients accept the parts during the befriending step, but that does not mean they will stay there. Fear is the final step of the treatment plan, and it involves individuals identifying what their fears are of that part of themselves.

Case Application: IFS

While narrative family therapy can be used to identify Jacies problems, the father and the kids could be subjected to the IFS. The father and the kids would be taken through the six steps of IFS to help the entire family understand the cause and the consequences of the looming divorce. First, the father and kids will be asked to meditate and turn their attention inwards. For instance, if the father was upset by the mother because she accused him of not taking part in their childrens school Parents Day. Meanwhile, if the kids were nervous upon hearing about their parents potential divorce, second, they will be asked to turn their focus on the identified parts.

Third, the father and the kids will be asked to flesh out the part identified. Additionally, they will have to learn more about the parts and identify any emotions associated with them. For instance, the emotional impact of the mothers accusations against the father and the psychological effect of divorce on children. Fourth, the father and the kids will be required to feel towards the identified parts, helping the therapist know the impact of the problem on their lives. Fifth, they will be rehired to befriend the problems identified and see how they take shape in their lives. Last, the father and the kids will discover what fears are part of the identified problems. For instance, the fear among the kids upon their parents divorce. IFS will help the father and the kids address any phycological issues associated with the broken marriage.

Narrative Therapy vs IFS: Similarities and Differences

Narrative and IFS therapies help treat a wide range of psychological disorders involving intimate relationships. Both approaches utilize family members as the core agents in helping an individual identify and address their problems. Therefore, theoretically narrative and IFS utilize the family systems approach in treating relationship problems. Practically the two therapies involve expert intervention for a smooth problem-finding process. However, the approaches exhibit differences. While the narrative involves the patients as their experts, the IFS puts the experts at the center of the entire process. Unlike narrative therapy which utilizes narration to identify a problem, IFS involves observing an individuals sub-personalities. While the narrative and IFS therapy approaches are different, they help solve relationship problems.

The Most Effective Model

While narrative therapy will be effective for the mother, the IFS will be appropriate for the father and the children. The narrative therapy is non-blaming, and the mother will focus on the existing problem without pointing a finger at anyone. Moreover, the therapy will put Jacie at the center of problem-finding, giving an accurate perspective of the situation. Meanwhile, IFS will be more effective for the father and children. IFS is significant in preparing the father and the children for emotional difficulties in the future. Additionally, IFS will help the children view depression symptoms as normal reactions to stressors. Therefore, while the mother will be subjected to narrative therapy, IFS should be used for the father and children.

References

Béres, L. (2022). The self/identity in narrative therapy. In The Language of the Soul in Narrative Therapy, 1331.

Blaylock-Johnson, D. A. (2021). Holy sex: using narrative therapy and mindfulness to address church hurt and embrace the erotic. In An Intersectional Approach to Sex Therapy. 176-186. Routledge.

Downey, C., & Crummy, A. (2022). The impact of childhood trauma on childrens wellbeing and adult behavior. European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 6(1), 100237.

McVicker, S. A., & Pourier, W. (2021). Two counselors envision IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy for addictions treatment in Indian country. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 39(2), 175-197.

Popejoy, E. K. (2022). Parental incarceration and family reunification. In Counseling Strategies for Children and Families Impacted by Incarceration. 240-257. IGI Global.

Shelton, K., King, M. M., & Mahlet Endale. (2022). A handbook on counseling African American women: psychological symptoms, treatments, and case studies. Praeger.

Introduction

It is no secret that family therapy is a direction that mainly considers systemic connections and interpersonal relationships between spouses. The presented videos vividly demonstrate the therapists high-quality, competent, and correct work with the couple in the form of a conversation in order to change the models of family communication, problem-solving, and role distribution. The advantage of this session is that all family members can express their opinions and be heard openly. This paper is devoted to a complex and comprehensive analysis of two videos in which a couple and a therapist actively interact with each other to solve existing problems, old conflicts, and traumas in a safe space.

Therapeutic Relationship

In short-term psychotherapy, a specialist takes an auxiliary position, not an expert one. He does not teach the client how to live and what to do but helps to find a working solution. This approach assumes that a client is an expert in his own life, he knows better what is going on in it and what brought him to the point where he is. The therapist acts on the basis of this knowledge of the client, and not his own positions and views.

The therapist-client relationship in solution-focused therapies is one of the most essential and significant components of the psychotherapeutic process in terms of understanding the internal dynamics or supportive external environment in the videos. A sense of security and acceptance is the basis for productive and effective collaboration between the therapist and clients within the framework of the presented videos. Hence, trust and mutual understanding that allow one to touch on important topics are most evident in a relationship.

Assessing Individual and Family Strengths

There are several ways for a therapist to assess the strengths of an individual and a family. The strength-based approach is typically deemed as the most straightforward one, in the course of which a therapist asks direct questions to determine the core strengths of the specified stakeholders (Practice model, 2020). The offered framework contributes to increased clarity in the psychotherapy process. Furthermore, it enhances the efficacy of time management, allowing a therapist to obtain information faster. However, the offered approach to assessing family strengths, as well as those of an individual, may involve the presence of data lacking credibility and objectivity since it comes from the party that is actively involved in the therapy process.

Solution-focused Interventions

It should be noted that exceptions, scaling, and homework are solution-oriented activities. Firstly, exceptions are, for the most part, approaches necessary to identify rare occurrences in the current problem in the life of clients to detect previous successes and enhance their strengths. Secondly, scaling is a way of evaluating a goal on a scale from 1 to 10 in terms of clarifying details about how things are, where they will be, and when therapy will be successful (Practice model, 2020). Thirdly, homework allows clients to rehearse skills, work out specific behavioral strategies, restructure destructive beliefs, and much more. An exception is featured in the video quite clearly during the identification of the couples leisure activities. For instance, the specialist found that the couple could allocate some time for a card game, have fun, and talk to each other heart-to-heart, and the therapist, in turn, commended them for such an initiative (Kaltura, n.d.b). Consequently, a viewer sees an example of a scaling question when the therapist asks clients to rate the quality of their communication and relationships on a 10-point scale.

Goal Setting

Establishing attachment and building trusting relationships are the most important and meaningful goals for the couple from the video. Indeed, after the appearance of a child in the family, the spouses began to pay less attention to communicating. Thus, it is necessary to find the optimal solution for this problem and learn to enjoy the little things, to notice even minor details that will help the spouses to understand their true feelings and establish a dialogue. Consequently, during therapy sessions, the expert should strive to ensure that the spouses provide a sense of security and comfort in the family. Hence, all negative experiences should be changed into positive ones by supporting each other, especially in difficult moments.

Solution-Generating Questions

What should the ideal relationship between you look like? and What will change in your life when you achieve your goals? are two primary questions to ask clients. These questions were chosen based on the problem of the spouses and their goals to achieve harmony in the family after adopting the child. The proposed questions fit perfectly into this model because they allow the therapist to find the most acceptable and effective solution to difficulties and find the right approach for these spouses to minimize the number of sessions. Moreover, they allow one to focus on clients and their experiences.

Integration of the Recovery Model

The recovery concepts can be applied in solution-oriented therapy by building a trusting relationship between clients and the therapist. Without trust, there is no therapeutic alliance; there is not even the possibility of touching on any crucial topics and a speedy recovery in the relationship. In itself, the fact of the emergence of a relationship in the life of clients in which one does not need to be someone other, and in which one can count on care and sincerity, and sometimes  and for the first time to find out that this is possible  has a supportive and therapeutic effect. In brief, these concepts will allow one to focus on peoples inner experiences and understand past events to influence the present and the future in a better way. The therapist can discuss critical points regarding how patients lives could change to make crucial decisions.

Treatment Planning

To complete the initial tasks, it is necessary to correctly and accurately formulate all desires. In turn, the working phase tasks include presenting a miracle and convincing customers how important it is for them, even if it is small. In the future, changes should be identified with the help of specific, positive language. In particular, Harrisons Manual of Medicine recommends appealing to steps based on complimenting, miracle questions, exceptions, scaling questions, and homework (Kasper et al., 2019). During the concluding phase, the task is to minimize the time spent on therapy, struggle, and suffering, each time discussing the progress made, making compliments and giving homework, and directing efforts in a positive direction because even a card game at night allowed a little closer to the spouses and this can already be described as a miracle, albeit small at first glance. Presently, the systemic hypothesis is that the customer requires active family support in order to overcome the key concerns.

Conclusion

Summing up, solution-focused therapy, in the example of a married couple, is one way to build a trusting relationship between clients and the therapist for further productive work. For the most part, this work is aimed at clients self-development, growth, and responsibility. During the analysis of two videos, it was found that complimenting, miracle questions, exceptions, scaling questions, and homework are some of the most common techniques for the successful work of a therapist with clients. Each of them helps to find the optimal solution and minimize the number of sessions within the framework of achieving happiness and miracles.

Plan

1. Determining the goals that will end the therapy;
2. Identifying changes to track positive or negative progression;
3. Reviewing the homework assignment to find out the involvement of each of the couple;
4. Summarizing the results of therapy and sharing impressions.

References

Kasper, D. L., Hauser, S. L., Fauci, A. S., Longo, D. L., Jameson, J. L., & Loscalzo, J. (2019). Harrisons manual of medicine (20^th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Kaltura. (n.d.a). SSBS_MFT-5105_week_05_solution_focused_therapy_I. Kaltura, Inc. Web.

Kaltura (n.d.b). SSBS_MFT-5105_week_05_Solution_Focused_Therapy_II. Kaltura, Inc. Web.

Practice model: Solution-focused approach. (2020). The Social Work Graduate. Web.

Introduction

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic  graphic stories by Alison Bechdel with autobiographical roots, released in 2007. The authors childhood and adolescence are shown through family conflicts. The main characters in this book are Alison and Bruce, a daughter and a father, who are going through difficult experiences in defining their sexuality, identity, social adaptation, and problems caused by these reasons. The Fun Home touches on many sensitive social topics, including the problem of identity and sexuality. Although the work is like reflections in some places, many literary scholars and psychologists have paid attention to this work, which considers sexuality in isolation from identity. The value of this book lies precisely in the construction of the concept of relations between these categories, to which this work will be devoted.

Sexuality and Identity

This book focuses on certain essential scenes from family life, even humorously taught. Nevertheless, this satire hides a whole storehouse of growing-up problems. The action is non-linear, reflecting scenes from the girls childhood in great detail. The author himself has carefully thought out the graphic image. The accompanying text references other literary works, visual arts, and even myths. The reader is faced with the problem of identity and sexuality for the first time in the process of describing the life of the protagonists father. He is a hidden homosexual, and, using power over his daughter, he tries to indirectly express his femininity through her (Bechdel, 2007). However, conservative principles also stand in the way of society, which Bruce, the heroines father, hides behind. Unable to express his sexuality, he deliberately distorts his identity, which leads to anger, and emotional distance from his family.

The father tragically dies under the wheels of a truck, but the author leaves the question of suicide. Alison does not have time to ask him many vital questions, the answers to which she will come much later. At first, it is challenging for her to identify herself with her father even at the level of family relations; it seems to her that they are the most different people (Bechdel, 2007). However, Alison and Bruces extremes are formed by the same problems. Identity is fettered by unrealized sexuality, like a heroine who cannot help but lie to her father about attractive female images and the father who emotionally distances himself from the family, hiding his identity (Bechdel, 2007). Against the background of obsessive-compulsive disorders that poured out into art, these characters have much more in common than it might seem at first.

Although Alison had a problematic relationship with her father, it was even more difficult for her to lose him. Alison could guess about his hidden homosexuality, but she could not understand his identity: Bruce hid a lot behind the coldness and anger. However, after his death, the main character could better understand herself and her sexuality, but not at all in identity. Even after her admission, I am a lesbian, Alison does not feel completely satisfied with her own identity (Bechdel, 2007, p. 58). An identity shrouded in obscurity is not really a mask to society. It is very likely that the father, Alison, really did not know how to act correctly; they were only confident about their sexuality. However, the identification of these two categories in their case leads to confusion, the reasons for which are both the conservative views of society and the developed uncertainty of these two heroes.

In fact, the father always limited the manifestation of the main characters true sexuality, which made her doubt her own identity from childhood. As a result, their adaptation to society became more complicated, thoroughly saturated with attempts to answer unasked questions to her father. Bruce was very fond of fiction, and Alison went to college for this specialty. The undisclosed identity of her father gnaws at Alison, but she openly declares her sexual preferences while her father keeps it a secret all his life. As a result, the reader sees that a closed life that hides proper gender roles is detrimental to the person himself, but the book does not provide more specific answers.

Alison shows the development of her sexuality through entries in her childrens diary and excerpts from communication with peers. Her first sexual experience is with her girlfriend, Joan. Likewise, the father hid his secret about his first sexual adventures with peers and the army. Alison obsessively thinks she is doing the wrong thing, guided by more conservative attitudes and possible judgments. Although she will declare her own orientation in defiance of her father, she will still be held by uncertainty in her actions. It is precise because she will never know her fathers motives for keeping his experience a secret. After all, he was guided not only by accepted public opinion. The development of sexuality, as a result, stumbles upon unexpected experiences that generate both interest and fear. All identity suffers from these mysteries, becoming a seemingly dependent variable on sexuality.

Conclusion

In fact, these two categories can significantly influence each other, but it is impossible to identify them. Alison achieves catharsis in accepting her sexuality, she can openly declare this, but identity continues to search, further forming a personality. These further steps led to the fact that Bruce was forced to hide his experience, entrusting it only to his daughter. These further steps also led her father to commit suicide, which in the reflection on Alisons heroine, added to her fear of whether the same awaits her in the end. This fear makes Alison confess her sexuality, but he does not leave her further. New questions arise; Alison does not know whether to blame herself for her fathers deliberate suicide. He wanted to fulfill his need to demonstrate femininity through her. However, it is very likely that he wanted the best for his daughter, who will find her calling in life, regardless of his actions. He destroyed access to his identity along with the power he had over his daughter.

Finally, an equally important question appears in the following context. Alison would not have been born if Bruce had not suppressed his sexuality by forming such a conflicting identity. This fact shows that every decision in life, regardless of a persons sexuality and identity, has its pluses and minuses. Sooner or later, even the father opened the veil of his secrets for his daughter. It turns out that honesty is the key to the absence of conflicts, and the lack of answers to many questions is either a matter of time or a matter of importance. Alison continues her life the way she wants, and sooner or later, she will be able to achieve solutions to her problems. Some of them appeared because of the father, but he corrected many of them. If the heroes were able to decide on sexuality, then the identity remained dynamic until the very end of the work, both in the heroes eyes and within them.

Reference List

Bechdel, A. (2007). Fun home: A family tragicomic. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The nature of interaction among individuals in a family setting is an initiative that prominently faces dynamic elements. One of the critical factors that influences personality development is socio-cultural practices. In this case, it is vital to establish the distinctive elements that foster the bond between people from a nuclear setting. An excellent example of the influence of the concept is a depiction of Viola Prices family bond in the novel A day late and a dollar short (McMillan, 2004). The outcome from the relation fosters resultant character traits and human behavior. There is an interdependent relationship between a persons temperament and the social environment.

Violas family encounters an apt challenge to forming a strong bond in the novel due to the limited interaction time. The plot of the novel features symbolic interactionism among members of the household. It is evident that the siblings uphold dynamic values regarding mentoring their children; individualism is the pillar of self-awareness (McMillan, 2004). Primarily, the theory indicates that the emergence of society entails the cumulation of shared principles. The critical duty and responsibility of an entity entail an indication of dynamic influence on mores and virtues. In this case, there is a profound disparity among the characters in the narrative despite Violas effort to foster a functional relationship.

Viola is married to Cecil with four grown children living in different parts of the nation. The couple celebrates thirty-eight years, and their kids include Charlotte, Lewis, Paris, and Janelle. Although Viola shares the pride of a family, she articulates that marriage life is tough in addition to the birth of the juveniles (McMillan, 2004). Viola learns the behavioral pattern of her children and articulates that the different beings feature dynamic traits across the social spectrum.

The matriarch plays a crucial role in comprehending the environmental condition during the upbringing of the offsprings. Although the youngsters attained adept moral behavior, the siblings developed variant personalities and interactive index towards other people (McMillan, 2004). Akin to the family theoretical construct, the children grow up with a dynamic overview concerning the essence of a bond within a nuclear setting. Parents responsibility is to establish core entities that enhance moral learning behavior and effective relationship-building. However, Viola and Cecil focused on educating the kids with minimal mentorship on the basics of life involving intensifying social capital for suitable self-awareness.

Capitalism is a phenomenon significantly attributed to the resultant disparate family relations among the members. According to Viola, Cecil worked significantly hard to feed and educate the kids despite the eventual neglect (McMillan, 2004). In this case, her husband was eventually subdued to the pressure of living in the household and the intensified responsibilities hence abandoning the counterparts. The social interactionism framework enshrines identifying elements that make up society. Therefore, the critical value of promoting cohesion among individuals in a household involves a peculiar understanding of the diverse personalities and perceptions concerning the interdependent relationship.

The consequence of social learning environment encapsulates integrating distinct measures in promoting individualism. In the novel, Paris is characterized as a hypocrite seeking credit based on the association with a silent female lion. She focuses on assisting the siblings based on dynamic life challenges but fails to acknowledge the distinctive problems at a personal and household level (McMillan, 2004). It is evident Paris struggles to maintain her image to her siblings and parents due to the addiction to prescription drugs. Apart from the divorce, her seventeen-year-old son impregnates a White girlfriend, intensifying the pressure to appreciate family unity and bond.

Lewis encounters distinct challenges based on the adept socio-cultural values in a different spectrum. Although Viola perceives Lewis as a horse, the individual attains dynamic experiences based on erratic behavior. As a frequent law offender and dependent person to the siblings, he eventually reforms based on the outlying essence of appreciating the bond in the household (McMillan, 2004). However, his childhood sexual abuse attributes to the difficulty in upholding functional relationships with other people, such as the ex-wife. A different factor that fosters Lewis transformation is the ex-wifes husbands intention to adopt his son. The phenomenon significantly affects Lewis personality and mental health due to the relatively negative experience as a kid. The consequences of his encounters as a youngster contributed to the dynamic human behavioral phenomenon. Therefore, the distinctive challenges foster a phenomenal overview concerning social learning and the institution interactionalism framework.

Family relationships significantly contribute to an individuals quality of living due to the dynamic accrual emotional and psychological support system. The spectrum provides emotive emotional circumstances such as happiness and stress. An excellent example is the obligation of family care, the parents aging, and the increasing care needs. On the one hand, family members enjoy the social security status under the household care umbrella. On the other hand, the family members become accountable to the aging and sick individuals needs. Social network refers to the different structures of an individual. A capital-based framework highly impacts the quality of connectivity among persons (McMillan, 2004). Therefore, Violas family members focus on strengthening the relationship to boost the functionality based on the associations specific rules.

Human beings are social, and capital affects the growth and development of an individual. On the one hand, domestic violence risks exposing a child to learning the negative moral values in resolving issues and disputes. On the other hand, the intentional aggression towards people renders the realization of the importance of rehabilitative behavior akin to Lewiss resolution (McMillan, 2004). The theory contributes to understanding the influential aspect of the therapeutic environment. It is essential that families focus on the implementation of initiatives that enhance the effective ideologies in problem-solving. Apart from the mainframe from the social learning concept, it is the responsibility of the community to establish institutions to boost the health and rehabilitative surrounding for addicts. Addiction negatively influences networking among persons due to the reliance on adequate financing for drugs. In this case, it is essential to incorporate metaparadigm treatment to elevate the quality of living and connectivity among members of the same household.

It is evident with Lewis social status involving various encounters with law enforcement that the family experienced problems in mentorship and the role of the parents during the upbringing. The depiction of Lewis personality affirms the conceptual framework on social learning involving the influence of environmental conditions. According to McMillan (2004), Charlotte and Lewis portray a sense of entitlement due to the poorly perceived teenage experiences. It is the responsibility of parents to establish initiatives that promote cohesion and mentorship among the household members. The divergent attitude among the siblings highly affected the intensification of family bonds and relations.

Human behavior reflects the practiced principles within a household hence the importance of intensifying disciplining and relationship-building. Viola understands the key drawback during the parenting experience after encountering the challenges the children undergo as adults (McMillan, 2004). Although none of the kids successfully married, they demonstrate a sense of independence apart from Janelle, whose life depends on the decisions of the siblings. Notably, it is vital to establish the interdependence between personality and the socio-cultural frameworks advocating for build-up in the social network and capital. The narrative affirms the importance of strong bonds within a nuclear setting in a household due to the attribution in personality.

In conclusion, the novel is a narrative founded upon the essence of family theory, symbolic interactionism. The primary role of a household encapsulates establishing an effective social platform to learn more and virtues within the environment. The perspective renders individualism hence the emergence of distinct approaches in promoting essential mainframe on developing a strong support system. Different individuals uphold dynamic socio-cultural practices hence the importance of determining the inherent factors improving the living quotient. Viola and Cecil struggle in raising the children but eventually, the marriage crumbles. The poor connection among the counterparts led to the challenging personality traits among the siblings and the insignificant importance of relationship-building. Lewis is an excellent example of the consequence of childhood sexual abuse. It is the responsibility of parents to incorporate moral and virtuous practices within the nuclear family setting. Symbolic interactionalism asserts the perceptive aspect regarding the importance of social capital in enhancing self-awareness among people. Additionally, the mainframe renders individualism within the constraints of a social position in a family.

Reference

McMillan, T. (2004). A day late and a dollar short. Berkley.

In the first chapter of The Family, Cohen (2018) describes different definitions of family and the major factors that shape roles and decisions within family members. According to the text, three main definitions are considered: personal, legal, and institutional (family as an institutional arena). The first one, according to Cohen (2018), is when one feels related to another. Under this concept, people define their own families, and the criteria for forming a family varies; families may link biologically, legally, or emotionally. The second concept, legal family, is followed by the rights and responsibilities regulated by the government. The third definition of the family as an institutional arena includes three factors as the family arena, state, and market. According to the author, the three factors overlap with each other which creates a more sociological approach to define families (Cohen, 2018). The state is an institutional arena where the behavior is regulated, for instance, the control of violence and marriage licenses. The market is an institutional arena where the market activities occur such as labor, economic exchange. The text emphasizes that three instructional arenas intersect and determine the role of individuals, decisions within a family, and changes in family relationships.

The chapter also provides major sociological theories and perspectives that deeper explain families and their relationships. Under the consensus theory, the family provided society with stability and cooperation by structurally dividing functional roles between men and women as breadwinners and homemakers. The conflict theory, as opposed to the consensus perspective, is focused on the competing interests of family members and is driven by change rather than complying with the status quo.

The second chapter focuses on the development of the family as an institutional arena, the evolution of roles within a family, and family trends. The first historical trend indicated by Cohen (2018) is the increased life expectancy as a result of better sanitation, nutrition, and higher standards of living. The next trend is that people have fewer children than in the past. The third one is the fact that family members do fewer tasks at home. The last trend is that families become more diverse with an increase in single-parent families, married couples, and people who live alone.

In the second half of the chapter, Cohen (2018) explains a wide variety of family types and how they have evolved. The author highlights that a particular type of family can have a whole structure or patterns of family life (Cohen, 2018). The family types include monogamy, where one person marries another, or polygamy, where one person has several spouses. The other types are a nuclear family, which represents married monogamous couples living with their children and no extended family members, and a conjugal family, which is a nuclear family independent from extended family members. The latter, according to the text, is considered more modern (Cohen, 2018). Some family systems are organized by how the wealth and power are transmitted from parents to children such as patrilineal (from fathers to sons) or matrilineal (from mothers to daughters). Other classifications can be organized according to different types of residence patterns. They can be patrilocal, in which a married couple lives near or in the husbands family, or matrilocal, in which the couple lives near or in the wifes family home. The difficulty to conclude that there is one normal form of the family is primarily due to that wide diversity in history.

References

Cohen, P. N. (2018). A sociology of the family. In The family: Diversity, inequality, and social change (2^nd ed., pp. 233). W. W. Norton

Cohen, P. N. (2018). The family in history. In The family: Diversity, inequality, and social change (2^nd ed., pp. 3471). W. W. Norton

Closing Statement: The Prosecutor

Your Honor, the life of a person, no matter what his or her body may look like, is sacred, which is why the Samsa Family must answer for their actions. There is clear evidence that, despite his transformation, Gregor Samsa still possessed the ability to feel, observe, and think, which can be considered the main indicators of him remaining a human being. In turn, under the existing law, specifically, the regulation on the needs of people with disabilities (the Americans with Disabilities Act), the deceased was entitled to basic needs, specifically, the provision of food and water. However, the family refused to act accordingly, which resulted in the untimely and very painful death of Gregor Samsa.

Therefore, the familys refusal to provide him with the necessary support can be classified as a murder. If the Samsa family members had been more sensitive toward Gregor and recognized him as a human being with respective needs and vulnerabilities, the tragic death that has been witnessed could have been avoided. However, the Samsa family decided to neglect their responsibilities and refused either to offer relevant help or to address the corresponding services that would have offered the needed support to Gregor. As it was stated, He had been left to attend to matters on his own (Kafka, 1915, p. 1024). Thus, I strongly insist that the specified case should be classified as a second-degree murder with aggravating circumstances.

Closing Statement: The Defense Attorney

The definition of a human being may depend on ones personal beliefs, religion, or a specific philosophy, which introduces chaos into the task of defining a person. Therefore, in order to identify one as a human, a definition based on ones physical properties is needed. Judging by the transformation that the diseased underwent, the creature that the Samsa family found in his room was no longer Gregor. None of the family members had the chance to enter the creatures mind and fin any semblance of the reason there.

Thus, the Samsa family members did the only possible thing that they could, which was leaving the creature alone. As Gregors father said, If he understood us [&] then it might be possible to come to an agreement with him (Kafka, 1915, p. 1024). They could have addressed the situation in a fashion in which it is typically handled when an insect is found in the confinements of ones home, namely, called the extermination services or resorted to direct removal of the insect themselves. However, instead, they chose the peaceful way of leaving the creature by itself so that it could determine the further course of action. Therefore, based on the current definition of a human being, the creature that the family saw in Gregors room was not a human. Thus, none of the Samsa family members can be implicated with murder.

Judges Verdict

Family ties and the support for each other are the foundational values that hold our society together and keep it evolving. Therefore, empathy toward family members, no matter what appearance they might have, is crucial, especially when they are affected by a condition that reduces their physical capabilities, such as mobility and the skills of providing for themselves. At the time when he was in a desperate state of mental and physical health, being entirely incapacitated, his family had to provide him with the assistance that he needed. Moreover, the support of qualified experts was required, which his family refused to provide to him, leaving him to die, alone, in pain, and in despair. He was ordered to leave despite his pain: Leave my home at once! (Kafka, 1915, p. 1026). Therefore, the Samsa family members are deemed guilty of the murder of Gregor Samsa.

Reference

Kafka, F. (1915). Metamorphosis. Web.

Poverty is a great social factor and determinant in healthcare. This is especially true for the USA, which has an imperfect healthcare system of insurances, which are hard to afford even for the low-medium income citizens. As of 2011, 32.1% of families are considered low-income families, while 10.6% of families live below the poverty line (U.S. low-income, 2011). This presents a great healthcare risk, as many of these families are unable to afford insurance and are faced with even greater fees when paying out of their pocket. Poverty and lack of finances influence a great deal of other related social determinants that contribute to the increased mortality, morbidity, and health hazards experienced by poor and low-income American families. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the variety of social determinants that affect the health status of these families and reflect on the change of perspective towards these families during hospital practice.

Differences between Poor and Low-Income Families and Predominant Health Issues

There is a difference between the poor, the absolutely poor, and the low-income families. Poor families are families whose income per person is below the 100% poverty line (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014). These families, while they have the funds for basic needs and accommodations, do not have the ability to purchase certain goods and services to fully function in society. Low-income families income per person is considered below 200% of the poverty line (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014). In general, these families can afford both the basic and the additional needs to function in society, but barely. Quality education and medicine are often an impossible ventures for them. The absolutely poor families are homeless and often cannot afford even the basic needs of sustenance, such as bathing, food, water, and shelter. Thus, predominant health issues for all three groups are lack of available healthcare, lack of available and comprehensive information, and lack of necessities to maintain a relatively healthy way of life, such as food, clear water, and habitable spaces to live in. Additional needs connected to healthcare are the need for stable, safe, and better-paying jobs in addition to social security Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014).

Social Determinants of Health

Poverty

As it was stated at the beginning, the greatest social determinant that affects low-income families is the lack of money to afford insurance. Even though the government offers a substantial cut to acquiring it, the sum that families have to pay still remains substantial enough for many low-income and poor families to avoid getting it. According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, 8 out of 10 uninsured families are 400% below poverty level, meaning that even some families of moderate income cannot afford quality healthcare (Key facts about the uninsured population, 2016). This creates a serious problem, as people without insurance are less likely to address their healthcare needs until they are physically forced to due to the morbidity of their conditions. Due to late hospital admissions, the mortality rates for poor and low-income families are significantly higher, with the frequent causes of death being cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, and cancer. Poverty also affects other social determinants that influence the health status of poor and low-income families.

Education

Education as a social determinant is directly tied to poverty levels. As a rule, the lower are the education levels among the population, the poorer they are. Almost all high-end paying jobs require at least a Bachelors degree. Managerial and supervisory positions often require a Masters degree in the required field of expertise. That kind of education many families could not afford due to fear of being in debt, as higher education in the USA is one of the most expensive in the world. As a result, many hard-working families are forced to take low-end jobs, which leave them below the poverty line (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014).

The word education, however, is not related strictly to academic knowledge. Many poor and low-income families have limited knowledge about their own body, possible health hazards, and health practices, thus leaving them vulnerable to illnesses and diseases, which they are unable to recognize or counteract. All viral outbreaks that happened in the USA in the last 20 years have started among the poor, as they are the least socially-protected stratum of the society (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014).

Healthy Living Conditions

There is a direct correlation between the level of poverty and the healthiness of living. The poor and low-income families are often unable to conduct a healthy way of life, as they are unable to afford healthy foods, medicine, and are forced to work dangerous jobs in order to provide for themselves and their families (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014). Another factor that contributes to the lack of health is overcrowdedness and poor living conditions. Unable to afford their own home or apartment, the poor often have to rent living space in the most unsavory parts of the city and live together in small and enclosed spaces. These spaces often turn into breeding grounds for such diseases as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections (Key facts: Poverty, n.d.). Unavailability or scarcity of nutrition, sanitation, and clear water are the main underlying causes for the appearance of diseases and other health problems within the vulnerable populations. The slums are also known for increased levels of criminal activity, which is associated with physical trauma and weapon-related injuries. All these factors, together, make up for the lower life expectancy for the members of poor and low-income families.

Personal Reflection

When I first started working with poor and low-income families, I noticed that many of them avoided visiting hospitals unless the situation was critical. At first, I assumed that the cause of this behavior was a lack of insurance. The fees for out-of-pocket payments are significantly higher and impose a great strain on the family budget. However, as I talked to patients, I discovered that the main reason for such behavior, while still related to poverty, was different. In many cases, the primary determinant was the so-called generational poverty (Wagmiller & Adelman, 2009). Many members of low-income families were born in poverty themselves and were not used to quality healthcare (Zeller, 2013). Instead, they were taught by their parents to rely on themselves and treat themselves using the knowledge passed from mother to daughter or from father to son. This wrought the creation of a strange notion of folk medicine, existing within urban environments, which largely revolved around using very cheap and available medicines in order to treat complex diseases and mitigate their negative effects. Because these practices often lacked the actual medical knowledge to back them up, the majority of them revolved around reducing the symptoms of particular diseases, namely pain. However, these practices did not contribute much towards actually curing the disease, which often led to the development of the disease and worsening of the present conditions. Many patients I talked with said that they did not seek medical help not because they were unable to afford it, but because they thought they could deal with it on their own. In these cases, direct lack of money was not the primary social determinant of health. Instead, the patients health was influenced by a lack of education and medical knowledge in conjunction with the poverty-induced necessity of self-reliance.

References

Braveman, P., & Gottlieb, L. (2014). The social determinants of health: Its time to consider the causes of the causes. Public Health Reports, 129(2), 19-31.

Key facts about the uninsured population. (2016). Web.

Key facts: Poverty and poor health. (n.d.). Web.

U.S. low-Income working families increasing. (2011). Web.

Wagmiller, R.L., & Adelman, R.M. (2009). Childhood and intergenerational poverty. Web.

Zeller, T. (2013). For Americas least fortunate, the grip of poverty spans generations. The Huffington Post. Web.

Communication in the family contributes significantly to the health of every member of the family. There is the sender, who gives the information, and the receiver of the message. When there are communications obstacles the communication patterns are altered. The patterns of communication should be corrected especially when roles change in the family cause friction. In such cases, the family nurse offers assistance by giving care and advice to the family.

Dysfunctional family communication patterns make the family unhappy. The family members engage in an excessive argument whenever there are different ideas and dissimilar beliefs. The excessive argument is a result of power struggles within the family. Every individual defends his/ her idea and belief. These arguments do not yield any solution. Both individuals who are involved suffer emotionally. Thus, the views of all members of the family are not considered (Fenell, 2011, Para 1)

Outright criticism in a family is unhealthy. Criticism can be beneficial if the person criticizing does it with care not to hurt the other. Criticism is meant to correct one to improve on a certain aspect. However, when a member of the family criticizes harshly without moderation, this makes it impossible for the criticism to be helpful. Parents criticize children and each other so that circumstances change for the better.

Parents and guardians play a role in guiding the children to make the right choices in their lives. Occasionally, parents exceed guiding and merely control the children. This control is at times not welcome and children resist it. When children grow up, they expect that parents will let them make decisions on their own. In other cases, when children become adults, they lack confidence in their decision-making.

These attributes of a dysfunctional family can be reversed and reduced for all family members to become healthy. Families that engage in arguments can learn to resolve their differences through dialogue. The family members can learn to listen and recognize the differences in beliefs. A family that tolerates different ideas and viewpoints becomes happy. Before making a decision, the input of every member of the family must be considered.

Listening is very important in the family. Family members can listen carefully and encourage the speaker by being interested. They can give contribute to an indication that the message is understood. This will make the communication process complete as the sender will get to know the receiver of the message got the message (Friedman, Bowden & Jones, 2011, pp. 10-13).

The family members can identify conflict patterns and learn to fight fair. Fighting fair involves avoiding accusing words and avoiding physical and verbal abuse at all costs. Relationships are mutual and members of the family can learn to negotiate and make decisions without causing unnecessary tension.

Parents can learn how to guide children in decision-making rather than control them, especially in adulthood. In addition, children carry on communication patterns in their future homes.

According to Litta (2004, Para 2) Illnesses can cause changes in the roles of family members in the family. Another member of the family can perform responsibilities of the patient. For instance, a parent may play additional roles and perform tasks that were earlier performed by the other parent. Additionally, they may take care of the spouse by giving personal care that includes bathing the patient. Consequently, the spouse may end up being overworked. In this situation, an intimate relationship may not be possible to maintain. The spouse becomes resentful and becomes angry because circumstances force them to perform multiple roles.

Children can experience stress because of changing roles. When the parent has many tasks to perform, the children give support to the family by doing household chores. Once a child is deprived of his or her childhood to take care of the sick parent, they become stressed. In other situations, as Kellon (2009, Para 1) children who had become self-reliant and are forced by circumstances to return to their parents home feel uncomfortable.

Changing roles can lead to separation and divorce. When the patient sickness advances and more resources are required, a couple can divorce. The unpredictable nature of illness can cause a partner to have constraints and anxiety. If the partner views the new roles as an obstacle, then they can consider divorce or separation (Litta, 2004 Para, 7).

A spouse who has changing responsibilities may delegate the task of taking care of the patient to a family nurse. The nurse will assist by giving a hand in bathing the patient and other such things. The nurse encourages the couple to discuss the changing roles so that their lifestyle remains strong (Fenell, 2011, Para 1).

As Litta (2004, Para 4) argues, children should not be deprived of their childhood liberty. Other alternatives such as the help of a family nurse can also be considered. If a child returns to her parents, there must be communication so that all their needs are met.

The family nurse services in a family are vital. The nurse can help in carrying out the roles in a family during the sickness of one member of the family. In addition, they can communicate to avoid misunderstandings.

Reference List

Fenell, Z. (2011). What are the Attributes of Dysfunctional Family Communication Patterns? Web.

Friedman, M.M., Bowden, V.R. & Jones, E.G. (2003). Family Nursing: Research, theory, And practice (5th Ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Kellon, D. (2007). Family Roles. Web.

Litta, R. (2004). Changing Relationship and Roles within the Family. Web.