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Mi Familia: How it all Started” (Family-of-Origin Paper) (35% of final grade) We are all products of our families. To learn how to work with individuals and their families it is useful to examine the family you know best: your own family of origin, whether adopted or biological. A good place to start this investigative process is to complete a three-generation genogram. Following that, you will do a complete case study on your family as if you were a counselor conducting an initial assessment. The final section will involve those interventions that would be most useful in working with the family you describe. If this assignment poses a special problem for you and you wish to use a substitute family, please see me ASAP. Be sure to use language consistent with what you have learned this semester throughout the paper to describe your family.
This paper will include (but is not limited to) the following:
- A genogram of your family of origin, to include an exploration of the Five Rules (details below);
- A complete case study. This will include an overview of your family life cycle, ethnic influences, celebrations and rituals, rules, values, stories, and philosophy of life (details below);
- An intervention section: As a family therapist, what interventions would you recommend to treat or strengthen your family-of-origin? (details below)
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Each of the above sections should appear as different headers in your paper, using appropriate sub-headers as needed (APA style). Be sure to include
an introduction and conclusion. This assignment will be due on May 5, 2025 by midnight, and will be graded based on originality and insight. The final product should be no less than 8 pages, typed, doubled-spaced.
More information on Part A – Emotional Relationships – Don't just create a "family tree"! (see also Gladding pp 232-234, & 240).
In the first part of your paper, you will complete and analyze a three-generation genogram beginning with you and your siblings as the first generation. If you are, or have been, in a significant relationship (married or other arrangement), include this information and indicate children if present. Part A will have two parts: the actual genogram itself (with all the accompanying information, as well as a "key" that describes the symbols that you used) and the discussion (where you will analyze the patterns found in the genogram).
The genogram
Include immediate and extended family members on your genogram. This will include your parents, siblings (and their partners if applicable), nieces/nephews, aunt/ uncles, cousins (1st cousins only), and grandparents. If you are married/life- partnered, include your partner but not his/her family of origin. If you have children, include them below you.
You should include important identifying information for each individual on the genogram (i.e. written/printed next to each individual). This information will include his/her name, age, relation to you (e.g., mother, grandfather, etc.), and relationship status (e.g., married, divorced, single, separated, etc.).
Off to the side of each individual's name, include his/her (a) primary occupation and•
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(b) the presence of any known psychological and/or physical distress (addictions, mental illnesses, etc.). These may be hand-written.
Emotional Relationships – Don't just create a "family tree"! Using the symbols in the "Genograms" link #4 describe the emotional relationships of your family. Discussion/Exploration of the genogram – Explore and discuss the significance of the "Five Clues" that can be determined through your genogram:
Significant dates – identify all important dates (e.g., historical, familial, and relationship dates), discuss what information exists about these events, and what this information adds to your understanding of the patterns in your genogram. Gender beliefs and values – discuss how these beliefs/values have thread through your genogram (or not) and what impact this may have had on your development. Secrets – identify where secrets exist in the make-up of the genogram. If there are no clear secrets, identify where (if anywhere) unknown or unspoken facets of people's lives exist. Discuss what impact these secrets (or lack thereof) have had on the boundaries and communication patterns in your genogram. Losses – discuss how the experience(s) of loss (remember how broad that term can be) has impacted the relationship patterns in your genogram. Explore how these events may have been perceived differently by different individuals. Themes – identify the themes that run through your genogram that answer the questions "Who are we?" and "How do we behave?" What do these themes reveal about your family's belief structure and how have they guided the family in making decisions about their current and future behaviors?
Free software is available from http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/ ecomap.htm or http://www.genopro.com/genogram that you can use to create and print your genogram. Be aware that these are time-limited downloads (i.e. you should create your genogram soon after downloading and not wait until a month has passed to begin your work).
More information on Part B
In this section, you will complete a case study where you thoroughly explore some of this course's main concepts as they apply to your Family of Origin.
Family life cycle: Compare and contrast your current life cycle stage with how your parents (or grandparents) experienced it. What issues are pertinent to you that were/were not pertinent to your parents? How do you account for these differences? Ethnic influences: What is your ethnic identity? (Define what you mean by "ethnic"). What is the nature of your current family relationships, habits, attitudes, values, and life style that are a reflection of your ethnic background? How are these the same or different than when you were growing up in your family of origin? How did your family of origin interact with other ethnic/racial groups? How does this differ in your current family situation? How do you account for the changes?
African American
Relationship with dad's family is different. Don't spend much time with them but everything is normal if I make the effort to come around.
Mom's side of the family is great, however I feel everyone hasn't grieved the correct way—
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from the family deaths.
Celebrations & rituals: How are special occasions (e.g., birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays) celebrated in your family? What daily/weekly rituals are important to your family? How do your current traditions compare with those of your family of origin? How do you account for the changes?
birthday were not really a big deal in my family. I celebrate birthdays and take them very seriously now.
Holiday are always spent with mom's side. Christmas is our favorite holiday
Rules & values: What were some of the common rules found in your family? Which of these rules have you incorporated into your current family situation? Which rules have you discarded? What overt and covert values were played out within your family system? Which of these values have you incorporated/discarded?
"what happens in my house, stay in my house" not allowed to discuss our household with outsiders. (Discarded)
No such thing as a mental health day or sick day from school (discarded)
The adult is not always right (open communication but in a respectful way) (incorporated) "It's not what you say, it's how you say it" (incorporated)
Stories: What are some of your family's stories that are told? What are the underlying messages? What influence do these stories have?
Philosophy of life: How did your family "make meaning" of the world in which it lived? How have you implemented/discarded this philosophy as it applies to your current situation?
More information on Part C
In this last section, you will explore those interventions that would be most useful in working with a family like the one you've described. These interventions can be directed at treating any deficits noted and/or to strengthen positive attributes. Be sure to answer such things as:
What are some of the needs of this family?
What are the strengths of this family?
Which theory or blend of theories would be most beneficial to this family (and why)? What goals would you set if you were to work with this family?
What would success "look like” if the goals are reached?
Dads side of the family: formally close knit with them, things changed when I moved away for college in 2021)
Grandparents:
Grandfather Freddie (deceased 2020, diabetic)
Grandmother: Delois (back complications)
Children:
Uncle: Jeffery
