Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I. If you think of this course as a journey, you have traveled quite far. You started by applying some of the most common theories to couples and families experiencing an array of problems. You then looked at some common issues that would impact the couple.  Now, you return to the issues common to couples and families everywhere. Your work with couples therapy and diverse relationships may be labeled secondary prevention, as you are working with couples and families showing some—but not severe—signs of relational distress.

Students will:

• Analyze theory-based interventions for couples and families experiencing life transition and/or developmental issues
• Design treatment plans for couples or families experiencing life transition and developmental issues
• Analyze evidence-based interventions for couple and family issues

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Gurman, A. S., Lebow, J. L., Snyder, D. K. (2015). Clinical handbook of couple therapy. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

• Chapter 17, “Therapy with Couples in Step Families”
• Chapter 18, “Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues in Couple Therapy”
• Chapter 19, “Couple Therapy and Intercultural Relationship”

Williams, M. (2012). Couples counseling: A step by step guide for therapists. Boston, MA: Viale Publishing.

• Chapter 5, “4th Session: Couple’s Dialogue” (pp. 85–99)
• Chapter 6, “5th Session: Problem Solving & Compromise” (pp. 101–126)
• Chapter 9, “8th Session: Taking Responsibility” (pp. 177–190)

Document: Treatment Plan Template (Word document)

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Optional Resources

Use the link below to access the MSW home page, which provides resources for your social work program.

MSW home page

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Discussion 1: Modifying Theoretical Interventions for Clients Experiencing Life Transition and Developmental Issues

In all likelihood, developmental and life transition issues will form the core of your work as a couple and family practitioner. These issues are those that couples and families typically encounter through common day-to-day living and may include being newly married, having a child, or sending a youngest child off into his or her own adulthood. They also may include common stressors, such as divorce, job loss, or death of a family member, just to name a few. Individuals across all cultures experience developmental and life transition issues in one way or another, and you will likely find yourself sitting across from a couple or family experiencing a similar life event to one you have encountered in your own life.

Despite the universality of many developmental and life transition issues, you should still keep in mind that there is no one way to experience a divorce, death, or job loss, nor is there one way to clinically encounter and assist a couple or family experiencing such issues. Different theoretical orientations may suggest different ways for addressing various scenarios, and you may have to modify your chosen theoretical orientation to work effectively in your professional practice.

For this Discussion, choose one life transition or developmental issue, and consider how you might modify your theoretical orientation and/or infuse interventions from other theories in order to address this issue.Week 7: Life

Transition and Developmental Issues I

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

By Day 3

Post a brief description of the life transition or developmental issue you selected and your chosen theoretical orientation. Then, explain how you might modify the theory-based interventions of your chosen theoretical orientation to work effectively with client(s) experiencing the issue you selected. Finally, explain the significant aspects of the life transition or developmental issue that influence how you would modify the application of your chosen theoretical orientation.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

By Day 5

Respond to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Make a suggestion.
• Expand on your colleague’s posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 7 Discussion 1 Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 7 Discussion 1

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Discussion 2: Applying Theoretical Interventions for Clients Experiencing Life Transition and Developmental Issues

Certain elements of treatment planning for clients experiencing life transition and developmental issues may be easier than others. For instance, it may be obvious that a breadwinner’s job loss is the major concern facing a family. The more difficult part may be crafting clinical and treatment formulations for this issue that explain how it affects the clients, what needs they have, and how you, as a helping professional, plan to intervene (Sperry, 2005). As you examine life transition and developmental issues in this week and the next, use your theoretical orientation to conceptualize the scenarios presented and plan theory-based interventions.

For this Discussion, consider a brief case history of a couple or family (this can be one with which you are familiar or a fictional couple). Begin to conceptualize the couple’s or family’s problem through your theoretical orientation and identify interventions that you might use. Search the Walden Library for articles that might be used to justify the interventions you selected.

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

By Day 5

Post a brief description of the couple or family case. Explain the theories and theory-based interventions to couples and families experiencing life transition and developmental issues you will apply to this case. Then,

• Develop and justify treatment plans for the fictional couple or family experiencing life transition and developmental issues.
• Conceptualize the couple’s or family’s problem through your chosen theoretical orientation.
• Design a treatment plan including short- and long-term goals

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 7

Respond to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Make a suggestion.
• Expand on your colleague’s posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Submission and Grading Information

Week 7:Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 7 Discussion 2 Rubric

Post by Day 5 and Respond by Day 7

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 7 Discussion 2

Week 7: Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Week in Review

In this week, you returned to the issues common to couples and families everywhere.

In the next week, you will continue to explore life transition and development issues so that you may begin to think about areas in which you may experience challenges.

Week 7: Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Looking Ahead: Week 8 Assignment

For next week’s Assignment, you will need to view one of the following movies. Please select and obtain one of these movies from a local video source (i.e., Netflix, Red Box). Plan your selection and viewing time accordingly.

Gilbert, B. (Producer), & Rydell, M. (Director). (1981). On golden pond [Motion picture]. United States: IPC Films.

Demme, J., Armian, N., & Platt, M. (Producers), & Demme, J. (Director). (2008). Rachel getting married [Motion picture]. United States: Sony Pictures Classics.

Schwary, R. (Producer), & Redford, R. (Director). (1980). Ordinary people [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures.

Fischoff, R., & Jaffe, S. (Producers), & Benton, R. (Director). (1979). Kramer vs. Kramer [Motion picture]. . United States: Columbia Pictures.

Pratt, C. (Producer), & Carlino, L. J. (Director). (1979). The great Santini [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Bros. & Orion Pictures.

Week 7: Life Transition and Developmental Issues I

Next Week

To go to the next week:

Week 8