Family Therapy

Catalog description

Advanced Counseling Techniques: Family Therapy. Systems concepts and terminology will be presented. Various theories and their applications (especially Bowenian) with diverse socio-economic populations and cultures will be discussed. Topics will include: families as systems, the family life cycle, how to understand family dynamics clinically, challenges faced when working with families, genograms, traditional and non-traditional approaches to working with families (both evidenced-based and beyond), family assessments, family consultations, blended families, parenting and step-parenting issues, LGBTQ families, socially and economically disadvantaged families, divorcing families, resilience in families. Students will explore theory-based treatment planning formats used in response to family vignettes. Students will view and assess family dynamics in operation from popular media as well as professional videos with expert family practitioners. Students will practice recognized family therapy techniques via role plays. Students will generate their own personal genograms (traditional and postmodern), will present on diverse family issues (as reflected in the California/San Francisco Bay area population) and will create relationally-oriented diagnostic criteria for both challenging and strengthening families. This course is restricted to MFT/PCC students in the Counseling Psychology Graduate Program.