FAM THERAPY CONCEPTUALIZATION PAPER
Family Therapy Conceptualization Paper (100 points)
For your Family Conceptualization paper, (5-7 pages) you will conduct a case analysis, develop treatment strategies, and write a summary report on a family case based on one of the films listed below; YOU WILL USE STRUCTUAL FAMILY THERAPY FOR THIS PAPER
· Ordinary People
- When a Man Loves a Woman
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding
- Stepmom
- Because I Said So
- Dan in Real Life
- Father of the Bride
- Mrs. Doubtfire
- The Story of Us
- In Good Company
- Joy Luck Club
- The Big Wedding
- Spanglish
1st Half of the Paper:The first half of your paper should be an analysis of the family case/film from a systemic perspective. You may utilize any of the methods/topics discussed in class. Much of your analysis therefore will be structural or family life cycle in nature. Label the model and describe the family system according to the model’s basic tenets.
Please use the following content headings to structure your analysis:
1). Characters
2). Family dynamics, including the following concepts (when relevant):
a.) Homeostasis, family roles, family rules, family subsystems, boundaries, family values,
alliances, coalitions, triangles, and differentiation.
b). Family or relationship structure and dynamics.
c). Family history, if appropriate.
d). other relevant factors.
2nd Half of the Paper: The second half of your paper will be a slightly more comprehensive view of family assessment and treatment planning and intervention. Your paper should include some of the following:
a). A contemporary structural map of the family
b). Toxic issues in the family
c). Family beliefs, myths and rules
d). Interactional patterns and systemic hypotheses based on these patterns
e). Long and short term goals in treatment for the system and each subsystem
f). Rational and description of interventions
g). Research findings based on the text or your own literature review to further develop and support your case analysis
The writing assignments are designed to help you make the conceptual leap to systems thinking. You will conceptualize both assessment and treatment in system terms.
