Lecture on Family Therapy Session with a Blended Family

Introduction

• Speaker: The presenter and Valerie (the consultee)
• Purpose: Discuss a case study of a blended family in therapy.

Family Background

• Family Structure:
  • Blended family with 7 members
  • Parents married for 5 years (anniversary)
  • Third marriage for both parents
  • Steady living unit: Mom, Dad, Mom's two sons (18 and 13-year-old - identified patient)
  • Father has three children from his second marriage: 2 sons and a daughter (Andrea, 19, recently moved in)

Family Dynamics

• Boundary Issues:
  • Father's kids frequently want to move back in, causing conflict.
  • Mother struggles to set boundaries, feels guilty as father raises her kids.
• Recovery Background:
  • Dad is a recovered alcoholic, sober for 7 years.
  • Family involved in a recovery program.
• Referred Case:
  • Referred 4-5 months ago by a colleague.
  • Initial participants: Mother, Dad, and her two sons.

Problems Presented

• Identified Patient (13-year-old):
  • Poor school grades, peer relationships, and hygiene
  • Bullying, defiance, stealing
  • Father acts as disciplinarian
• Family Dynamics:
  • Father views himself as 'policeman', son Jeff as 'bus driver'
  • Mother passive in parenting role
  • Enmeshment between mother and 13-year-old son
  • Potential coalition between mother and son against the father

Therapy and Intervention

• Initial Assessment:
  • Focus shifted from 13-year-old to mother for individual therapy.
  • Goal to strengthen mother’s parenting.
• Current Focus:
  • Restructuring parents to present a united front
  • Improving Jeff’s behavior; parents report improvement.
• Mother’s Enmeshment:
  • Still problematic; frequent contact when away

Family Therapy Sessions

• Current Family Unit:
  • Sessions include two parents, mom’s two sons, dad’s occasionally present children.
  • Andrea (father’s daughter) recently included in therapy.

Therapy Challenges and Goals

• Therapeutic Goals:
  • Unite parents as a couple beyond parenting challenges
  • Address marital issues; both parents emotionally uncommitted
• Sessions:
  • Family seen bi-monthly, or once a month
• Therapist's Request:
  • Seeks help to restructure therapy to address marital issues and disengage from mother-individual focus.

Conclusion

• Next Steps:
  • Encourage parents to explore their marriage
  • Integrate all family members, including peripheral children, into therapy sessions.