Family Systems Perspective

I made a startling discovery as I continued my studies in college about the different approaches to counseling. I wanted to make sure that I would be able to work in the in the counseling field so I decided to take some substance abuse courses. I wanted to become a substance abuse counselor if I was not accepted into graduate school. I was exposed to the Family Systems Perspective during one of the substance abuse courses. Later, I was accepted into a very good graduate program and received my Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy that taught me the Family Systems Perspective.

This perspective viewed individual behavior and emotional symptoms in relation to the family interactional patterns as well as a larger context. No longer was an individuals symptoms viewed as only existing within the individuals cognitions, emotions, and behaviors viewed in isolation. The Family Systems Perspective brought forth another world view as to how to approach human problems such as mental illness, marital, children, and family problems.

Click on this link (1) for more information about the Family Systems Perspective. Also, the different Family Systems models include Structural Family Therapy (2) , Bowenian Family Therapy (3), Strategic Family Therapy (4), and the Satir Model Family Therapy (5) .

Footnotes:
(1) http://www.aamft.org/faqs/index_nm.asp

(2) http://ccp.colstate.edu/balt/Structural%20MFT_files/frame.htm

(3) http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/counseling/bowen.html

(4) http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/counseling/strategic.html

(5) http://satircentresingapore.tripod.com/