Family Counseling Case Interview Paper

Billy is a 17-year-old Native American who has lived with his parents and grandparents in a rented house. He is a high school senior who receives poor grades on core subjects and cuts school frequently with his friends. Billy’s family is of low socioeconomic status and both his parents work to support the family. Billy’s parents have been fighting against each other verbally and physically at night for many years. Recently Billy’s father lost his job and he beat Billy and his mother harshly. Billy felt depressed since his brother committed suicide two years ago. He began to use alcohol occasionally and now he drinks daily. Billy’s uncle and aunt who live in the same neighborhood worried about Billy and so they brought him to my counseling agency. To work with either a person or a family, I need to establish relationship with Billy by building rapport and trust in the first session. I apply Carl Roger’s core …show more content…
My second-half of the first session is a family interview. When Billy, his parents, grandparents, uncle and aunt gather together, I greet them and help each of them to feel comfortable to stay together. Then, I invite each family member to define alcoholism. Later, I encourage them to discussion about alcoholism together while I watch and listen. Meanwhile, I reflect their feelings and contents to inform them that I track on their sharing. By watching and listening to the way they interact, I draft a family genogram to conceptualize the status of their family relationships. Afterward, I ask them what changes they want from the family counseling. At the end of the first session, I give out directives that I expect them to change from their discussion. For example, I urge Billy’s father to stop fighting against Billy’s mother and beating Billy. This first-order change may not affect the whole family system, but it eliminates Billy’s distress of involving in their marital