Premarital therapy, John, 25, and Carmen, 23 are seeking

Premarital therapy

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Reference no: EM133997442

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John, 25, and Carmen, 23, are seeking premarital therapy. They met in college, have been dating for two years, are engaged, and they report being very much in love. However, their respective families are not supportive of their relationship. John's parents are upper-middle-class African Americans who anticipated that John would be a role model to his younger siblings and cousins after college by living close by and being active in their Chicago community. They are not happy that Carmen is drawing John away from being available to his younger brother and cousins. Carmen is the first person to graduate from college in her family, which lives in Puerto Rico. Carmen's family members express strong reservations about Carmen marrying someone who doesn't share their Catholic faith, and they would like John to convert. John is uncertain that converting from Baptist to Catholic will make a difference in how Carmen's family will accept him and knows it is likely to provoke even more resentment on the part of his parents. The tension over their parents' objections is causing friction between John and Carmen. They are hoping that counseling will help them settle on how they can retain what is most important to each of them, so they can build a life together.

Excerpt from the First Session "Hi, I want to thank you both for coming in today. That's a big step and it shows that you're open to finding solutions to the issues you're dealing with. John, would you like to start? Can you tell me a little about what brought you here?" John: "Sure. Carmen and I are getting married in about 8 months. We are both so happy about this - Carmen is everything I've ever dreamed of. She's smart, funny and supportive, and beautiful. We should be great. But our families are just laying all these guilt trips on us and I want my Mom and Dad to be happy for me and welcoming to Carmen, but I don't know how to make them happy and still be honoring what Carmen and I want. We're doing this - that's not even a question - but I just want to know how to honor everyone and not start our life together off with my wife feeling like I let her down. And that's not even getting into the stink-eye I get from her folks whenever we get together with them. I know my high school Spanish isn't too impressive [laughs]- okay, it's not cutting it-and I'm not really sure they like me. I don't know if that's ever going to change." "Carmen, I noticed you nodding while John was talking. Do you agree with the way he described the situation?" Carmen: "I do. Well, except for the part about my parents giving him the stink-eye. He just doesn't know what a Latino dad is like to any guy his daughter brings home. My parents know John loves me and that I love him. But...the Catholic thing is majorly important to them and I think they're worried that he doesn't understand how important the church is to Puerto Ricans. But what's even more important to me is that I think and feel first in Spanish, and I'd like to be able to talk with John more in Spanish. Anyway, I feel like we need to be on board with each other and have a plan. We need to agree.

Use the Bowen Family Systems Model with the couple in the scenario above. Develop additional questions you would ask to gather more information. Discuss the presenting issue(s) and overarching treatment goals as well as specific treatment objectives. ask to gather more information. Discuss the presenting issue(s) and overarching treatment goals and specific treatment objectives. What two assessments would you use for the couple in the scenario and why and how would these assessments help with treatment?

Reference no: EM133997442

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