Bowen Family Therapy is part of a growing trend of independent approaches to healing and family centered centers. One of the main reasons that I believe that the Bowen Family Therapy appeals to me so much is that Bowen took his own approach to solving the dynamics and nuances of therapy. Instead of focusing on tried and true methods for everyone he instead devised his own methods which would eventually turn into a completely viable approach that everyone else could take too. The Bowen Family Therapy, in my opinion, offers a chance to present information to the client in a way which affords them the opportunity to recognize the unconsciousness factors impacting their life. All too often we see or examine therapy treatment styles which do not properly address these factors and therefore leave an empty hole which leads to relapse situations. Unfortunately, the Bowen Family Therapy approach cannot be used in every situation nor does it apply to every family so its practical application in the real world, depending on where you practice can have limited uses. Depending on the clients’ needs and their own family history it will be important to properly assess whether or not this approach will be of any use.
Finding a Diversity Competent Counselor
Being a competent counselor is very challenging and requires a lot of knowledge. Being a diversity-competent counselor takes so much more. When working with a chemical dependency group there is a high probability that the group will have to deal with different cultural backgrounds. A diversity-competent counselor will be able to let go of fear and lead a discussion that is culturally sensitive.
Diversity-competent counselors don’t become competent overnight. It takes years of experience and awareness to obtain the competency. Counselors who are courageous, good role models, and very open minded will have a great chance of really understanding diversity. Before they experience other cultures however, they must be able to understand their own culture first.
When working with chemical dependency groups a counselor should always be noticeably present and very genuine. People in recovery are very sensitive to their surroundings so it is important for the counselor to be able to believe in the group process by not being defensive when criticized and identify with the group and the pain they are going through. This means every single member of the group which includes all cultures and races. By identifying with the members of the group a diversity-competent counselor can help cultural awareness within the group by inviting guided conversations that help bring awareness to ethnic differences. When members of the group hear their peers talk about racial diversity they will be less likely to assume or label each other.
Leading groups can be extremely challenging and it takes time to be successful at it. Competent counselors have personal power and stamina to make it through tough times and they never give up. Diversity-competent counselors who lead groups are very self aware and bring dedication and commitment to the table even during the hard-hitting sessions. Most importantly, they are able to recognize their own limitations.
How Family Systems Therapy Helps Your Motivation
Family systems therapy increases motivation for recovery in many ways. In family therapy there are five goals in which should be addressed and recommended. The five goals are to increase motivation for recovery, to convey the whole-family message, to change family patterns that work against recovery, to prepare the family for what to expect in early recovery, and to encourage family members’ own long-term support.
In family therapy you will typically be agitated and more anxious when family members are present. Fortunately, this anxiety is necessary for change as family is one the greatest influences on a person’s life and therefore can be motivation in recovery. It is also an interesting fact that the family member is usually the first to cry or admit issues. If you have children, they can be a huge influence for you even when no one else can seem to get through to you. There always seems to be a link between the chemically dependent patient and other family members in some way and it is important to convey the Whole-Family-Message during sessions. This then leads to changing the family patterns that work against recovery. Once the entire family is involved it is crucial to eliminate conflicts, coalitions, and especially the enabler.
Preparing the family on what to expect in early recovery can often be challenging. It is known that early sobriety is often worse than when you were during the use of the chemical. That is why it is important for the family members to understand what the process involves. Without this explanation, family members may be inclined to give up thinking that it was just easier to let them be dependent. Also, encouraging the family members’ own long-term support is what is needed to the optimal outcome. Even after all of the chemicals are gone, the anger, frustration, mood swings, etc. can last much longer than the family members may think. This keeps the unrealistic expectations that the problems will disappear once the abuse stops at bay.
What is the difference between a slip and relapse?
A slip is when a patient uses alcohol or drugs after treatment and relapse is when a patient uses a significant amount for a significant time. Slips often lead to relapse. Depending on what type of treatment a patient utilizes will depend on the chance that a slip will then transform into relapse. If a patient is taught that a slip is horrible and if you slip then you have to start all over again they are more likely to go all out in slip and turn it into a relapse since they would have to start all over anyway.
When a slip occurs, your health care professional should be supportive and not judgmental. It is important for all health care professionals not to look at slips as a disaster. Instead, they should work with you in reviewing your after care plan and what you could have done differently to avoid the slip. If need be, it would be important for the health care professional to change the aftercare plan looking at stresses and triggers that may have caused the slip.
Models of Addiction
There are different models of addiction and it’s up to the patient to be able to find the substance abuse center that incorporates the model of addiction that matches their values and beliefs.
The sociocultural and psychological model of addiction describes the outside influences as well as what genetic predisposition can have on an addict. Cultural attitudes play a big role in abuse of alcohol. For example, if an individual is surrounded by people in their cultural who are heavy drinkers, they are more likely accepting this concept and become a heavy drinker as well. Another example is the opposite. If a religious organization prohibits drinking completely and an individual doesn’t know how to handle moderation, they could be more likely to indulge and abuse alcohol excessively. The psychological part of this model has a theory that alcohol addiction or drug addiction is the result of some other psychological problem that a person has such as depression or anxiety. Another theory is that addiction is a social learning theory. When children see adults using alcohol or drugs in social situations, having fun, they are more likely to view this as acceptable. Once they start using alcohol or drugs themselves they can become addicts as a result of the social learning theory.
The moral model defines addiction to alcohol and drugs as a personal choice with consequences. Religious groups and the legal system typically use this model. Also, this is what the majority of outsiders or people who have never had an addiction or problem use. If an addict is surrounded by people who believe in only the moral model of addiction they are less likely to seek the help they need and will try to solve their problem on their own.
The disease concept of addiction is a controversial model that positions the concept as a person’s primary disease and not a result of another condition. This disease is viewed as chronic and incurable and once an addict understands that they have this disease they must also understand that it will last a lifetime. There is evidence to support this concept as well as critics who criticize the concept.
There’s always options when it comes to substance abuse treatment and like I said it is critical for recovery to be able to find a treatment that fits the needs of the patient.
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