I'm going to use Bowen theory to try to come up with an intervention for Tami (Brown, n.d.). According to Bowen's family systems theory, people cannot be interpreted in isolation from one another. Rather, they are recognized as a member of their families and their family is their relational unit.
The triangle, which is the smallest stable interaction in a scheme, is one of the terms in the theory. Tami has a consistent history of relationships with her friends. It is very difficult to recognize a triangle because she has healthy relationships with her colleagues. Her mother's behavior of slapping her as she asks to go play with her friends, on the other hand, forms a triangle.
The second concept in theory associated with Tami is emotional cutoff. Tami and her parents moved to the USA and left her grandparents in Jamaica whom she is emotionally attached. Their immigration resulted in her emotional cutoff. The announcement of upcoming Grandparent's day activity affected her because it reminds her of her grandparents back in Jamaica.
To offer an intervention, there is a need to look for old couples that will act as a figure to Tami's paternal grandparents. Tami will be informed that the day will be exciting and she will meet grandparents who were equally as good as her grandparents. That day, she will be introduced to grandparents who will offer her emotional support.
Cultural changes might be the reason why Tami's parents refuse her to go and play with other kids. The family has been in the stable state in their Jamaican culture and neighborhood. However, the new culture has resulted in one side of the triangle which is giving the family a lot of anxiety. This can be addressed by inviting her parents, discussing with her several issues including challenges in coping with the new culture, and also the importance of minimizing behaviors at home that can affect children’s performance in school. If the couple does not know anyone in the neighborhood, they can be advised on where they can find people from their cultural background who can help them assimilate into the new culture.
Gerrard (2008) pointed out that a school-based counselor is not regarded as a "third party" but part of school systems and therefore it minimizes triangulation. This is because the counselor is an advocate of the school, the family, and the child. Gerrard (2008) added that the focus of the counselor is to work with parents to help their children succeed in school, and this is what most families are willing to accept. That is why I emphasized that there is a need to invite the parents to the school to discuss how to help the child adapt and succeed in school. The author views this as one approach to normalizing the counseling, and it reframes it in such a way that it de-stigmatizes parents' attendance of the counseling. Further, the author continues to say that as the counselor works with parents to help the child cope and succeed in school, trust is built which allow the counselor to eventually address other family issues that may be affecting the child.
References
Brown, J. (n.d.). Bowen Family System and practice: Illustration and Critique. Retrieved from: http://www.thefsi.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Bowen-Family-Systems-Theory-and-Practice_Illustration-and-Critique.pdf
Gerrard, B. (2008). School-Based Family Counseling: Overview, trends, and recommendations for future research. Retrieved from: http://www.schoolbasedfamilycounseling.com/docs/IJSBFC%20-%20Volume%20I(1)%20-%20Gerrard.pdf
