Vargas Family Case Study: Fifth Session (Case Study Sample)

Vargas Family Case Study: Fifth Session First M. Last Name College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University Course name Professor Date Vargas Family Case Study: Fifth Session Initially, this case study aimed at seeking therapy for Frankie, but as the sessions continue, each family member benefits by improving their communication and consideration for each other. However, the breaks between the therapy sessions have been productive by allowing individual family members to gain some perspective on their unique healing process and put them into practice for the benefit of the family. In the fourth session, two structural family interventions were used: family mapping and family therapy, which have effectively driven positive changes among the Vargas family members. This paper will discuss how Haley-Madanes, an MRI-style, and Milan-style family counselor, would approach the current presenting problem from the Vargas family case study. Haley-Madanes Approach In a family, hierarchy and boundaries exist, and every member should respect them to promote functionality and sanity among family members. The Haley and Madanes strategic approach encourages counselors to help their clients suggest ways of solving the presenting problem since it assumes that the unconscious is full of wisdom (Szapocznik et al., 2015, p. 123). Therefore, a Haley-Madanes counselor should approach the Vargas family presenting problem by taking responsibility for devising a strategy that would help them solve the issue. For instance, in the fifth session, the family members shared some positive feedback from the last session. A Haley-Madanes counselor should effectively utilize such feedback and enable their family members to devise a practical strategy that would be effective for them. A major intervention that a Haley-Madanes counselor might use for the Vargas family case study is focusing more on creating new and pleasurable interactions between the parents and children. Consistent with Amini and Woolley (2011), for this intervention to be effective, the counselor must encourage the family to act differently to think and feel differently (213). For example, since insight is not encouraged in this approach, the counselor might ask parents and children to individually practice what they shared as feedback for the previous session. For example, Bob reported that he apologized to Elizabeth for “mishandling the suspension thing.” This would enable the family to solve their issues amongst themselves while respecting the family hierarchy and boundaries. MRI-Style Approach Engaging the conflicting parties in an argument is the best way to devise practical solutions to the presenting problem. The Mental Research Institute (MRI) approach argues that families make the most sense when handling a problem but are misguided during problem-solving (Hale & Frusha, 2016, p. 17). Therefore, there is a need for an intervention to help guide the process for the benefit of all members. An MRI-style family counselor needs to identify the feedback loop, rules governing the loop, and change them to accommodate the expected behavior. If the family members’ behaviors are changed toward finding a solution to the family problem, their views and opinions will be the best in objectifying the expected solution. This would allow the counselor to pick the best solution to the presenting problem from the suggestions given by individual family members. An MRI-style family counselor helps a family make clear, immediate, straightforward, and behavioral goals and stick to them. Although Elizabeth reports noticing improvements in the children, there is a need to shift solutions when the current ones are not working increasingly. These changes can be achieved through a change in individual attitudes. Changing individual attitudes help in improving relationships and the overall sense of well-being, enabling individuals to become more successful in solving any presenting issues (Szapocznik & Hervis, 2020, p. 19). When individual family members change their attitudes toward problem-solving, they keep resistance low and motivation high, making them more flexible in accomplishing their goals. In this case, if the Vargas family members change their attitudes towards each other, they will live in agreement, enabling the parents to dispense attention among the children fairly. Milan-Style Approach In families, during conflicts, family members have the best solution to the presenting problems. Bland (2018) claims that the Milan model effectively observes family interaction patterns and techniques for making therapeutic interventions (25). A Milan-style family counselor can approach a presenting problem by helping the family achieve livable agreements that suit their interests, needs, concerns, and priorities. For example, based on the Vargas family case study, a Milan-style family counselor can create strategies to help the family make noticeable positive changes in their behaviors and attitudes. In session five, Elizabeth reports that she has noticed improvements in her children. A Milan-style family counselor should devise an effective plan that will enable the children to continue showing positive improvements in communication and behaviors. According to this strategic family therapy theory, systemic thinking is an intervention that a counselor needs to use. Systemic thinking is the ability to challenge the existing mental models and structure one’s knowledge and thoughts (Anderson et al., 2019, pp. 127-131). A counselor can challenge family members from the Vargas family case study by asking them involving questions that enable them to discuss their thoughts a...