Systemic Questioning Essay Example
Systemic Questioning Essay Example

Systemic Questioning Essay Example

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  • Pages: 9 (2266 words)
  • Published: June 7, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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Creating trust in the helping relationship is one of the fundamentals of family therapy. Not only must the family learn to trust the counselor, but also the counselor must trust that the family is there willingly to receive help and to learn how to set their own goals and access their own resources to achieve them. Rather than being a passive listening post, a counselor must strive to actively listen and must keep an active engaging mind to compare what each family member is revealing.

Clients in turn use the process to try to make sense of their experience. Communication is key in counseling. Family therapy has developed several approaches to framing questions within family meetings, questions are the primary tool clinicians use to learn about the family’s experiences. These questions help gather important information about various issues. Several author

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s in the MFT field have described and categorized questions. There are two types of information gathering and orienting questions, one based on linear assumptions and the other based on circular assumptions.

This paper will discuss how each style of questioning affects the family therapy process. Counseling 5220 is a course, which provides students the foundation of the MFT field of study. This project is to prepare and aide students learn the various methods of questions used to illicit information from clients for the purpose of providing quality treatment to the family. The project provides a foundation and gives the student a chance to really learn systemic and linear questions. Question Development The questions I choose to ask my interview partner were questions pertaining to morals, beliefs and background. As a student, taking an nline course, I ofte

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wonder why my peers decided on the MFT field. My interview partner was very comfortable about providing background info and answering the questions I drafted. Various kinds of hypothetical questions lead to an opening up of hypothetical context and alternative possibilities. Beutler & Williams, 1993 argue that systemic questions should be circular and relational. Future oriented questions; reflexive questions and "miracle" questions amongst others have all evolved as therapeutic tactics. Linear Questions I opted for 6 linear questions to ask my partner; three of the questions were closed and 3 were open-ended questions.

According to Tomm, 1988 linear questions are asked to orient the therapist to the client's situation and are based on lineal assumptions about the nature of mental phenomena. The therapist acts almost as a detective; trying to find out the who, what, when, where and why. These questions orientate the therapist to the client’s situation. Linear questions often identify individual characteristics or events. Circular questions often explore relationships or differences. Tomm states that linear patterns are limited to sequences.

Linear questions are one-to-one questions used when history or specific information is desired. They generally take the form of a direct, open-ended question to an individual, who is asked to give his or her account of the story. These questions have an investigative intent. As an interviewer I wanted to gather some background data on the interviewee. I was interested in finding out what in her background contributed to her decision to enter into the MFT field. After reflecting on the interview, I should have asked the maximum number of questions, I was still left wanting to more about my interview partner.

Systemic Questions I opted

to ask my partner 6 systemic questions that were a mixture of circular and reflective. These questions were all open-ended and really allowed me to get to know my partner. The circular interview investigates the recurring contextual patterns of relating which constitute a family system. Circular questioning is a process of creating distinctions and connections. It allows family members to comment on the nature of their relationships with each other.

This form of questioning serves as an efficient process for soliciting information from each member of the family regarding their opinion and experience of:

a) the family's presenting concern;

b) sequences of interactions, usually related to the problem; and

c) differences in their relationships over time.

Reflexive questions are used to invite family reflection and autonomous problem solving. The goal is to help family members recognize how their various reactions, behaviors, and feelings serve as triggers and dynamically influence the family’s interactions.

In so doing, they encourage family members to take a step back and look at the family’s issues and patterns from a more disengaged and objective perspective. As a MFT, you realize that reflexive questions are likely to enable the family to generate new insights or solutions by “embedding a working hypothesis into a question. The reflective questions I asked my partner were done so to have her take a look at her background and reflect on what was her greatest influence and what is influencing her to become a MFT. The Interview

After reviewing the criteria of the project, I became excited about finally getting to “meet” and speak to a fellow peer in the MFT program. During unit 4 we drafted linear and systemic questions as part of

the course work. Differentiating between the two can be a challenge when asking questions to an individual opposed to a family. When creating the questions to ask my partner, my goal was to make them not too intrusive, since this would be the first real interaction between the two of us, but I wanted to ensure that my questions fit the criteria of both linear and systemic.

During the interview process I wanted to ensure my partner was comfortable with asking the questions I drafted. I began the interview by telling her to please let me know if any of the questions were too intrusive or made her uncomfortable. Interview Theme The main theme of the interview was one of reflection. The questions were designed to make my partner reflect on why she choose to enter into the MFT field and if her family influenced the decision. Interviewer Role During this project we took on both the role of an interviewer and interviewee.

As the interviewer, I was responsible for asking my partner 6-8 liner and systemic questions. I made sure to make my partner comfortable and respecting her if she decided that anything was too personal. Stance During the interview when the linear questions were being asked, I had to take the first-order cybernetics perspective; an observer. It was difficult for me not to ask additional questions during the first part of the interview when my partner answered the linear questions.

During the closed ended questions, she simply answered “yes or no”, providing no additional information until later in the interview. First-order cybernetics approaches lean toward the modernist tendency to find a more objective form of truth.

The observer of as therapist attempts to understand what is going on within the family from a frame of reference that does not include him or himself. Therapists who practice systemic therapies with a first-order orientation use more assessment instruments of family functioning and rely heavily on the therapists’ perception.

During the portion of the interview when my partner answered the systemic questions, she was open and was engaged in conversation. If I needed more info, she was open to elaborating. This portion of the interview really allowed us to “break the ice” and get a chance to get to know one another. During this portion of the interview we would get off topic at times. As the interviewer, I had to make sure we returned to the question/answer portion of the interview with out making my partner feel like I was cutting her off or ignoring her.

The interview was conducted via skype so I was able to observe the body language of my partner. Her body language was always very inviting. Relationship with the Interviewee This assignment really allowed me to get to know my partner. Once the interview was over we had a conversation about how important the MFT field is and we also each talked about our backgrounds. If the assignment only dictated that linear question only be asked, the entire interview would have gone differently. The comfort level woudn’t have been the same.

Multicultural diversity issues Both my partner and I come from similar backgrounds, but in the world of therpy that’s not always the case. Therapists encounter families from various racial, ethinc, socio-economic and religious backgrounds. The “old rules” in counseling have

moved away from a monocultural to a multicultural premise and that these “new rules” recognize both an appreciation of differences as well as an understanding of the inherent ambiguity and complexity in counseling.

The basic premise is that counselors should not provide services when they lack needed knowledge and when scientific or professional knowledge has established that a certain understanding of age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status is essential for effective services. It is evident that the necessary sensitivity required to provide appropriate counseling services to diverse populations is grounded in ethical thinking.

Broadly defined, multicultural competence involves the dimensions of

1) awareness of one’s own attitudes and beliefs,

2) knowledge about cultural differences and

3) skills in working with diverse groups.

Effective and ethical work with diverse individuals and groups requires that MFT’s pay attention to and develop skills in each of these fundamental areas. The ultimate goal for an MFT to increase these skills so they are comfortable enough to work with diverse clients on an individual basis as well as in a small group setting.

At a minimum, this involves enhancing one’s abilities to recognize cultural dimensions of clinical counseling work, including world view differences and the effects of racism and oppression, increasing the ability to deal with clients with flexibility and cultural sensitivity, and increasing the ability to understand one’s own reactions, assumptions and biases. Multicultural knowledge involves learning and seeking information about various cultures, world-views and experiences of different groups of people. MFT’s must have working knowledge about the heritage, history, family structure, values, and eliefs of diverse groups. Therapists must also have accurate information about

institutional barriers, sociopolitical contexts, oppression and discrimination. Assessment of the Interviewer It’s always difficult to converse with someone you’ve never met. Before the interview, I was nervous about how the conversation would flow. My partner and I emailed each other a few times prior to the interview, but it’s very difficult to gage someone’s reaction and personality through electronic communication. My goal was to make my partner feel at ease.

I’m glad that we decided to do the interview via Skype, that way it felt more like a real meeting. After introductions were made, I told my partner that I had 6 linear and 6 systemic questions to ask. I told her I would start off with the linear. I shouldn’t have told my partner which questions I would lead with. I would have liked to see if her responses would have been different to the linear questions. If my partner didn’t know what the types of questions were, her responses might have been different; there could have been a chance she would have elaborated on the closed-ended questions.

As I reflect back on the interview, I do wish that I would have asked the maximum amount of questions, this would have gave me much needed practice and also provided continuous learning about the differences between linear and systemic questioning. What I Learned Linear questions are heavily rooted in a framework of a continuous progression of time. Circularity is more heavily dependent on a framework of reciprocal relationships based on meaning. The therapist behaves more like an explorer or researcher, the intent behind the questions are exploratory.

It is assumed that everything is somehow connected. Circular questions were

particularly useful in learning about the background of my partner and why she choose the MFT field. A thoughtful therapist with appropriate training can master various interviewing styles. This can be tremendously empowering to families. It can be challenging for therapists to reorient their conceptual perspectives to assess families in a circular or systemic manner. Tomm’s  interventive questioning model can guide students, trainees, and therapist seeking to build skills and optimize their interventions.

References:

  1. Beutler, L. E. , Williams, R. E. & Wakefield, P. J. (1993). Obstacles to disseminating applied psychological science. Journal of Applied and Preventive Psychology, 2, 53–58. Fleuridas, C. , Nelson, T. S. , & Rosenthal, D. M. (1986). The evolution of circular questions: Training family therapists. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 12(2), 113–127. Pack-Brown, S. P. & Williams,, C. B. (2003) Ethics is a multicultural context. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Ryan, D. & Carr, A. (2001). A study of the differential effects of Tomm’s questioning styles on therapeutic alliance.
  2. Family Process, 49, 67–77. Selvini, M. P. , Boscolo, L. , Cecchin, G. , et al. (1980). Hypothesizing—circularity—neutrality: Three guidelines for the conductor of the session. Family Process, 19, 3–12. Sodowsky, G. R. , Kuo-Jackson, P. , & Loya, G. (1997). Outcome of training in the philosophy of assessment: Multicultural counseling competencies. In D. B. Pope-Davis & H. L. K. Coleman (Eds. ), Multicultural counseling competencies: Assessment education and training, and supervision. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Sue, D. W. , Arredondo, P. , & McDavis, R.
  3. J. (1992). Multicultural counseling competencies and standards: A call to the profession. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70, 477-483. Tomm, K. (1981). Circularity: A preferred

orientation for family assessment, in Questions and Answers in the Practice of Family Therapy. Edited by Gurman, A. S. New York: Brunner-Mazel, 84-87. Tomm, K (1988). Interventive interviewing: Part III. Intending to ask lineal, circular, strategic or reflexive Questions. " Family Process, 27(1), 1–15. Appendix A Linear Questions Do you come from a two-parent household?

 

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