previous courses
Theory Integration In previous courses within your program, you studied counseling theories and developed the foundations of a personal theoretical counseling orientation. The next step in your development as a counselor is moving from theory selection to implementation and integration. Theory implementation highlights the artistry of counseling, meaning that there are factors you may encounter that may necessitate the integration of other theories into your main theoretical orientation. For instance, client factors such as degree of organization or disorganization as a system may require modifying your selected theory to best assist a couple or family. Personal factors, such as specific experiences within your own past relationships, also may sensitize or desensitize you to the relational issues presented by clients. The key then is recognizing these challenges to integrating theory and knowing how to mitigate them in order to provide the best and most effective service to clients possible while still retaining professional integrity concerning your theoretical orientation. To prepare for this Discussion, select one of the theories demonstrated in the videos this week (either Bowenian or structural) to use for this assignment. With these thoughts in mind: Discussion
a brief description of one challenge you may encounter if you attempted to integrate the theory you selected with your main theoretical orientation in your future practice. Then, explain how you might mitigate this challenge. Be specific.
Learning Resources
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To view this week’s media resources, please use the streaming media players below.
Required Resources
Media
· Video: Psychotherapy.net. (Producer). (n.d.). Bowenian family therapy [Motion picture]. [With Philip Guerin, MD]. United States: Psychotherapy.net. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
· Video: Psychotherapy.net. (Producer). (n.d.). Structural family therapy [Motion picture]. [With Harry Aponte, LCSW]. United States: Psychotherapy.net. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Readings
· Course Text: Gehart, D. R., & Tuttle, A. R. (2003). Theory-based treatment planning for marriage and family therapists. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
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. Chapter 1, “Treatment Planning”
. Chapter 2, “Structural Family Therapy”
. Chapter 8, “Intergenerational Family Therapy”
· Course Text: Gurman, A. S., Lebow, J. L., & Snyder, D. (2015). Clinical handbook of couple therapy (5th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
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. Chapter 9, “Bowen Family Systems Couple Therapy”
. Chapter 13, “Structural Couple Therapy”
· Article: Brown, N. D., & Samis, M. C. (1986). The application of structural family therapy in developing the binuclear family. Mediation Quarterly, (14/15), 51–69. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
· Article: Farmer, C., & Geller, M. (2005). The integration of psychodrama with Bowen’s theories in couples therapy. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama & Sociometry, 58(2), 70–85. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
· Article: Larson, J. H., & Wilson, S. M. (1998). Family of origin influences on young adult career decision problems: A test of Bowenian theory. American Journal of Family Therapy, 26(1), 39–53. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Optional Resources Readings
· Book: Bitter, J. R., Long, L. L., & Young, M. E. (2010). Introduction to marriage, couple, and family counseling. Mason, OH: Cengage.
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. Chapter 4, “Multigenerational Family Therapy”