1. Human Systems: Couples and Families, Groups, Organizational and Community, Administrative and Counseling Supervision Chapter Six

2. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 2 2 Human Systems  Introduction  We have all grown up interacting in different systems with other people: our family, school, college, first job, etc.  Let’s examine closely some of the systems we interact with over the course of our lives.  How can this knowledge enhance our work with our clients?

3. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 3 3 General Systems Theory  Explains the interactions of all types of systems: living systems, family systems, community systems  Each system has a boundary that defines it. Boundaries can be rigid, permeable, or semi-permeable  A healthy system has semi-permeable boundaries.  Boundaries helps a system define how it interacts with other systems?  All systems develop a homeostasis — a typical way of functioning.  Some systems have scapegoats exhibit atypical behavior.  Discuss Jim Jones in Box 6.1

4. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 4 4 Couples and Families  Today, 50% of couples get divorced. Impacts children, the couple, and others.  Key rules that govern couples and families: 1.Interactions are complex 2.Overt and covert rules 3.Hierarchies are important to understanding the couple/family 4.Subsystems are critical (e.g., parental, sibling, spousal) 5.Boundaries shape families 6.Language in society, families, and culture shapes families 7.Each couple/family has unique homeostasis 8.Change occurs by changing homeostasis

5. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 5 5 Couples and Families  Dysfunctional couples and families:  Do not take responsibility for their own problems  Use blame, scapegoats, and guilt  Have very rigid or very open boundaries  Bring unfinished business into a marriage  Choose a scapegoat or IP  Healthy families:  Semi-permeable boundaries  Good communication  Parents/Guardians main rule makers  Able to hear one another and change  Stress can have a large effect on families: Four types (Minuchin):  Stress in families is caused by situational (unexpected) problems (e.g. illness) and predictable developmental issues (e.g. birth).

6. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 6 6 Family Guidance, Family Counseling and the Role of the Human Service Professional  Many different approaches  Human service professionals are trained to do family guidance, not family counseling  Family counseling/therapy is usually at master’s or doctoral level  Human service professional can help clients recognizes when they have couples and family problems and make referral for counseling  Some believe people should always have individual counseling—others believe its always important to have couples/family counseling  What do you think?

7. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 7 7 Groups  Groups, like families, are systems  Thus, many of the same dynamics are in place (boundaries, power dynamics, hierarchies, homeostasis, etc.)  Groups will build their own homeostasis and its up to the leader to help the new system function in a health manner

8. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 8 8 A History of Group Counseling  Prior to 1900 groups were developed to assist people in functional and pragmatic ways  1900: Jane Addams (Hull House) and the Social Group Work Movement — to help with daily living  Early 1900s: Vocational and moral guidance groups in high schools  1940s: Encounter group — working with war veterans  1940s: Kurt Lewin and National Training Laboratory (NTL) to look ag group dynamics  60s and 70s — increased popularity of groups—(e.g. “Esalen”)  Today  Self-help Groups  Psychoeducational  Counseling and Therapy Groups

9. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 9 9 Different Types of Groups  Self-help groups  Usually, nonpaid volunteer relatively untrained leader  Open groups and number of people can vary tremendously  Share only what feels comfortable  E.g.: AA, diet groups, NA  See Box 6.4  Psychoeducational groups (formerly called “guidance groups”  Mental health education dissemination  Purpose: prevent future problems and promote personal and interpersonal growth  Designated, well-trained leader (e.g., school counselor, HS professional AIDS education leader)  Can vary in number of people and in length of time  See Box 6.5

10. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 10 Different Types of Groups (Cont’d)  Counseling and therapy groups  Highly trained leader (usually, master’s degree or more)  Small number of people  Meet, at least once a week for 1-3 hours  Expression of feeling and change encouraged  Some differentiate depth between a counseling and a therapy group  See Box 6.6

11. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 11 Groups  Group Membership Behavior  A group is a minilabs of our world  A chance to get feedback and examine our own behavior  We generally take on our “typical ways of behaving’ in groups and we can experiment with new ways in the group  Group Leadership Styles  Varies based on personality and theoretical orientation of leader  Certain styles fit certain types of groups better  Generally, however, effective leaders are “positive, supportive, provide sufficient structure, attend to the development of group cohesion, allow group members to take ownership of their group, and provide a meangingful context for what occurs in the group” (Riva, Wacthel, & Lasky, 2004, p. 45)

12. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 12 Groups  Stages of Group Development  The Pregroup Stage: Forming  The Initial Stage: Forming  The Transition Stage: Storming-Norming  The Work Stage: Performing  The Closure Stage: Adjourning

13. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 13 Individual Counseling vs. Group Counseling  When is group counseling a better choice?  Financial considerations  Issues related to interpersonal functioning, relationships, society  Extra support, share experiences with other people in the same situation  Test new behaviors in a “safe” place

14. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 14 Organizational and Community Systems  Working Within Agencies  Agencies are systems too!  The agency should have semipermeable boundaries.  Everyone working in the agency needs to:  Understand the overt and covert rules of the agency.  Know who is in charge.  Know when to “buck the system.”  Bridging differences and conflict resolution  See NOHS Ethical Standard Statement 34 (bottom of p. 185)  Discuss Box 6.8: Some true stories about agencies and organizations

15. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 15 Organizational and Community Systems  Working Within the Community to Effect Client Change 1.Define the problem 2.Collaborate with community members 3.Respect community members 4.Develop strategies for change together 5.Implement change strategies 6.Assess effectiveness

16. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 16 Administrative and Counseling Supervision  Supervisors  Good supervisors are:  Collaborative  Flexible  Fair  Willing to listen to others  Willing to be leaders and take a stand  Have to do some unpleasant jobs at times (firing people, evaluating supervisee poorly)

17. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 17 Administrative and Counseling Supervision  Administrative Supervision  Involved with administration of the agency and focused on promoting smooth running of agency  Should have knowledge and competence in many areas (e.g., hiring, firing, benefits, planning, operating, budges, grants, professional development, risk management, legal issues, etc.)  Although concerned about employees, they are usually more involved with “the bottom line”—economics of agency  May ask employees to take on some tasks they don’t like  See list in middle of page 188

18. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 18 Administrative and Counseling Supervision  Counseling Supervision  Intensive, extended, and evaluative relationship  Enhances professional skills of supervisee  Assures quality services to clients  Provides gatekeeping function for the profession  Counseling supervisors has knowledge in:  Counseling skills  Ethical and legal issues  Nature of supervisory relationship  Knowledge of supervisor and helpee development  Case conceptualization  Assessment and evaluation of clients  Oral and written report writing  Research  Cross-cultural issues  Evaluation of helpers

19. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 19 Ethical, Professional, and Legal Issues  The System and Confidentiality  Ethical code of NOHS suggests the helper has responsibility to protect the confidentiality of the client whether the client is an individual, group, or family  HS professionals can ensure they will not break confidentiality, but they cannot ensure a group or family member won’t  Consider what to do if confidentiality is broken  Don’t share information about clients with colleagues (other than supervisors) or family members  Get signed-release from clients if sharing info with other professionals  Training and Competence  Know the limits of your professional competence  Seek additional training when needed

20. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 20 The Effective Human Service Professional  The effective human service professional will understand that a client cannot be viewed in a vacuum but must be seen as part of a complex system of interactions.

21. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 21 Summary  General systems theory  Characteristics of a healthy system  Couples and families  Groups and their specific homeostasis  Importance of good leadership  Five stages of group development  Organizational and community systems  Administrative and counseling supervision  Ethical and professional issues

22. ©2013 Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 22 Exercises See pp. 194-200  Reflecting on your own family  Developing group programs  Labeling people