Introduction
A family is defined as the basic unit of society, composed of parents and children. Families are grouped into the following ten categories.
Pas de Deux family
Families made up of only two people. This can be a father and a child, a mother and a child, or two aged couples whose children have left home. These two people rely on each other in their daily activities. These families have areas of weaknesses since they tend to have a symbiotic kind of relationship.
Therapist comes in to probe the relationship since the over involvement of the members hinders full functioning of each other. Therapist comes up with strategies that create a boundary between them. These include the family’s areas of interest and breaking the idea that the family is “an island” (Charles , 2009).
Three generation family
This is the extended family which comprises of grandparents, parents and children. They may be staying in different geographical areas but they make up the three generation family.
There is specialization of functions within the family. Therapists intervene by delineating the boundaries of nuclear family. They advocate for the right responsibility to be conducted by the right person, the role of parenting should not be left to the grandmother but to the child’s parent.
Shoe families
This is the kind of family where the parents delegate the responsibility of parenting to one of the child. This child takes over the responsibility of child-rearing on behalf of the parent.
Therapist comes in where the structure of the family is large and advices on the possibility of breakdown in the execution of responsibilities. Therapist’s advice on the danger of overburdening the parenting child and showing the link between the parents and children so that the parenting child does not prevent the rest form accessing their parents.
Accordion families
These are families where one parent is absent for a long time due to work such as sailors and army. The remaining parent takes up additional parenting responsibility. A therapist comes in where the absent parent returns to the family and becomes a permanent figure. They intervene on how best to assimilate the parent in the system.
Fluctuating families
These are families that are always on the move due to one reason or the other, for example, the ghetto family moving due to lack of rent. The family may also fluctuate where one parent has multiple relationships. Therapists intervene to help the family define itself clearly.
Also, where fluctuation involves relocation, children may take time to function competently like in their previous location. Therapists must assess the level of competence of the family as well as that of an individual.
Foster family
This is a family that has assimilated in their structure a child who is not one of their members, who becomes a foster child. Therapists come in to give direction during the transitional stage, in order to counter any negativity towards the foster child.
Stepparent family
This is where another parent is introduced into the family unit. This may be due to the death of one parent where the remaining parent decides to remarry. Therapists come in to help in acceptance of the stepparent by the other members of the family, and the gradual evolution of the two families into one single organism.
Families with a ghost
These are families which has lost one of their own, for example, mother. They find it hard to move on and especially to perform the tasks performed by the missing member of the family. Therapist helps them to move on in the absence of the member (Charles , 2009).
Out-of-control families
These are families which have members with problems related to control. Teenage children may fail to move from the stage of adolescents. Therapists come in to help the parents make certain demands from their children in a professional manner.
Psychosomatic families
This is a family that functions best when there is a psychosomatic problem such as illness of one of them. These families are characterized by over involvement, overprotection and inability to resolve problems and they are rigid. Therapists help them overcome their negativity towards each other.
References
Charles, S. ( 2009). Family Therapy Techniques. New York: Harvard University Press.