Dynamics of Marriage and Family Systems

Paper Summary:

This paper describes and compares three theories, which serve as the basis for successful intervention and therapy in the treatment of marriage and family systems: strategic communications (systemic), solution focused (constructivist) and object relations (psychodynamic) theories. The author uses the film "When a Man Loves a Woman", directed by Luis Mandoki (1994) as the case study. The paper analyzes this case study by means of the three theories.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Theories
Strategic Communications Theory
Solutions Focused Therapy
Object Relations
The Case Study

From the Paper:

"The dynamics of Alice's rehabilitation are those as experienced by families in the real world in the sense that it has a tendency to create a new social circle for the patient, separate and apart from the family co-counseling aspect of treatment. When the patient, the family, enters this new social realm of therapy and support within a group therapeutic setting, it leaves Alice's husband, Michael, feeling left out, inadequate because he cannot be the source of her healing, and jealous of Alice's trust and confidence in the group that she has by virtue of her disease now become a part of."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Heath, R. L., & Bryant, J. (2000). Human Communication Theory and Research: Concepts, Contexts, and Challenges (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=14363794
• Klein, R. S. (1990). Object Relations and the Family Process. New York: Praeger Publishers. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=27565653
• Mandoki, Luis (dir) (1994). When a Man Loves a Woman (Motion Picture), Touchstone Pictures, USA.
• Niolon, Richard, PhD., (2005). Partners and Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, found online at http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/sft.html, retried 15 February

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