Fagan Family Paper

Words: 1797
Pages: 8

Introduction Understanding the dynamics within a family unit is crucial for effective therapy approaches and support. This paper provides a clinical, objective, and observational analysis of the Fagan family, which includes Maddy, Taylor, Hannah, Emily, and Patrick. Emily and Patrick are the parents, and Maddy, Taylor, and Hannah are their daughters. Taylor is the oldest, Maddy is the youngest, and Hannah is the youngest. Through the lens of various family therapy concepts, including circularities, triads, triangulation and conflict detouring, rules, pattern and process, feedback, family coordination through communication, double-bind concept, meta-communication, open and closed systems, family homeostasis, and the family life cycle, this case …show more content…
Dallos & Draper, 2015, p. 40. For example, a pattern in the Fagan family is that Taylor tends to rely on Emily more for emotional support, while Maddy relies on Patrick. Process refers to how members within a family communicate and interact with one another. Processing can lead to understanding how and why things happen and the underlying meaning behind certain actions or words. During family discussions, there is a pattern of Emily dominating the conversation while Taylor, Maddy, and Hannah struggle to express their opinions. This type of communication process leads to feelings of frustration and causes the younger family members to feel unheard and subordinate. By examining these examples of rules, patterns, and processes within the Fagan family, one can gain insight into how the family operates or experiences disruptions that may affect family dynamics and relationships. Feedback and Family Coordination Through Communication Feedback and family coordination through communication play important roles in promoting growth, change, and stability within the family system. Feedback captures the idea of reflexivity, which is reflecting on one’s actions (Dallos & Draper, 2015, p. …show more content…
The Fagan family does not operate in that way. Family Homeostasis and the Family Life Cycle Family homeostasis refers to families trying to maintain equilibrium and stability when faced with internal and external factors that can throw it off balance. It focuses on getting families to “maintain rather than change the problems” (Dallos & Draper, 2015, p.43). In the Fagan family, Emily and Patrick argue frequently, but instead of addressing the root causes of their problems, they prefer to pretend things didn’t happen or sweep things under the rug. They would rather act like nothing's wrong in front of others to keep the family unit stable. However, this equilibrium or family homeostasis may be disrupted during critical transitions in the family cycle, such as Taylor’s departure for college. The family cycle represents the pattern of stages that family units may go through, like a child’s birth, college, or divorce. One big transition that occurred in the Fagan family was the divorce between Emily and Patrick. When Emily and Patrick announced their decision to get a divorce, the family experienced significant emotional