Family Counseling

Family counseling can help families in difficult circumstances return to a healthy state. Working with families requires different intervention strategies than working with individuals. When working with families, social workers focus on the family structure, communication, and dynamics between family members. Social workers select intervention strategies that suit the family structure and circumstances. There are many strategies used in family counseling such as I messages, education, and working with a subset of family members. There are strengths and limitations to any intervention strategy that a social worker might use to counsel a family. Therefore, it is critical to be knowledgeable of various family intervention strategies. When selecting an intervention strategy, social workers should assess the needs and circumstances of the family to find the best intervention strategy.

For this Discussion, review the two case studies that present families in difficult circumstances found in this week’s Learning Resources. Select one case study and use the Learning Resources to review intervention strategies that a social worker might use to work with the family. Consider the strengths and limitations of the intervention strategy you selected.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief description of the case study you selected. Then, describe one intervention strategy outlined in the Learning Resources and explain how you might use that particular strategy to address the family circumstances. Finally, explain one strength and one limitation of using the strategy you selected from the Learning Resources to work with the family. Given the plethora of family intervention strategies, share an insight about how a social worker might select an appropriate intervention for a family client.