153x Filetype PDF File size 0.11 MB Source: www.strongbonds.jss.org.au
Strong Bonds Fact Sheet: Working with Young People : Reframing Feelings About Family The way people perceive an experience or problem influences the possible solutions or options they 1 see for change. Reframing involves presenting an alternative possible explanation, interpretation or perception of an experience. This new interpretation may then facilitate positive change. 2 Reframing goes beyond reflective listening , as it presents back to the client what is said in a way which deepens understanding about the event or problem, and creates possibilities for new ways to respond to the issues being discussed. This approach helps a client create, via their perceptions, a reality in which they may operate more 3 effectively and positively. For example, where a young person has been described by an adult as unruly or unmanageable, a reframe may suggest the young person is ‘independent’ or ‘strong-willed.’ Reframing requires a certain amount of reflective listening and rapport prior to use. It takes place in the context of a conversation about a problem or difficult experience and gently confronts the young person’s assumptions and interpretations, without provoking defensiveness. Reframing needs to be used with care, so that feelings and experiences are not minimised or ignored; it needs to fit with the client’s value system, so that their experience and hopes are honoured. Black and White Thinking language used by the young person. It further encourages Black and white thinking is common, and is particularly the young person to respect others needs in a shared present in adolescents whose cognitive development has not household, to consider positive solutions and to assert their yet reached an adult stage. This way of thinking, perceiving own wishes and needs within the household. and expressing thoughts involves using extreme language, and is often negative and blaming towards self or other. Strengths-Based and Narrative Black & white thinking may lead to unhelpful perceptions Therapeutic Approaches about people, such as family members, which can build These approaches offer effective techniques and 4 distance and resentment rather than understanding and questions for reframing. McCashen (1998) recommends compromise. the following practice principles in order to implement a An example to illustrate this is a young person who says strengths-based approach in your work: their mum is “always on my back”. Reframing in this situation – Respect for peoples’ intrinsic worth, rights, capacities, may involve: uniqueness & commonalities Asking: “What does she do that makes it seem like she – Sharing of information, knowledge, resources, skills and is “always on your back”?” decision making Clarifying: “So she tells you a lot, to tell her where you – Collaboration: team work, partnership, consultation and are going? How often do you think she would say that inclusion to you in one day or one week?” Reframing: “Once a day? So it’s not all the time? Sounds – Social Justice: equity, access, equality, participation, self like she cares about you and your safety. What would determination help you both to feel okay about this?” – Transparency: having things out in the open, open information and communication This reframe enables a young person to perceive a different and more positive reality about why their mother Strengths-based questions seek to draw out an is behaving in the way she is, and challenges the extreme alternative perception or explanation of behaviour or an 1. Fuller, A. (1998) From Surviving to Thriving, ACER: Melbourne 2. Reflective listening, as a counselling technique, involves repeating back what has been said using different words, to demonstrate you have heard and understand the content and feelings expressed. This shows empathy and builds rapport and trust. Page 1 3. Becvar, D. and Becvar, R. (2002). Family Therapy: A Systemic Integration. Pearson Education Australia. 4. McCashen, W. (1998) The Strengths Approach: A strengths-based resource for sharing power and creating change. Bendigo: St Lukes Innovative Resources Working with Young People : Reframing Feelings About Family event, which helps the young person to identify and believe For example, reframing issues concerning family may in their own or other family members’ successes, skills, enable a young person to identify their resilience, and see strengths and abilities. positive skills and knowledge that they have learned from Using this approach involves exploring what has worked what may be difficult family interactions and relationships. in the past, rather than what has not worked. While both They may also see what family members may have been negative and positive perceptions are valid, the latter trying to do for them in the past that was interpreted by them provides a more fertile soil for change, by helping the young in a negative light. person feel capable, empowered and motivated towards For example, a young person may be angry with his change. In contrast the deficit-based, problem-focussed father, who was drunk a lot and left the young person to approaches of traditional therapies present situations as cook for himself. requiring work and effort to address the problem and move on. Empathise and validate: Narrative questioning provides the opportunity to “How did that make you feel, that your dad was rewrite the young person’s story or narrative about events focussed on drinking alcohol and not on meeting your or experiences in a more positive light. It recognises and needs as a hungry child?” respects that young people and families may have endured “I can understand that you would feel angry and sad many hardships. This approach avoids pathologising, ie. about that.” use of medical and psychological terms which indicate “How did you manage to know how to cook and to look dysfunction, deficit or failure. after yourself?” “Are there other times when you have managed to Instead, it assists young people to view themselves work things out for yourself?” and their family as skilled, capable and resourceful. One technique used in this approach involve ‘identifying Reframe: exceptions to the rule’ - when problems weren’t present, or “Do you think your dad thought he was providing for when things were better, so that these experiences can be you in other ways, such as working to pay the bills?” emphasised and learnt from. “Do you think he knew that his drinking was stopping him from being the father you would have liked?” What if there’s nothing positive? “That’s disappointing that he did not look after all your needs as a child, but were there other ways in which he Some parents behave in ways that don’t lend themselves was an alright father?” to reframing. An abused child, for example, needs to know “Because your dad was not looking after all your needs, that the behaviour is wrong, and that it was not their fault. In were there any things you learned or skills you devel- working with these young people it may help to emphasise oped as a result?” their survival skills (rather than having a ‘victim’ focus) and to help them to identify the positive coping strategies that they Reframing with other family members used to deal with this difficult situation. Reframing ideally takes place with other family members Other parents do not always behave in ways which help as well as with the young person. This maximises the effect to build their young person’s self-esteem. In these cases it is of the reframes and enable changes to perceptions, stories important to validate experiences for the young person, and and attitudes at the level of the family system, not just within identify behaviours which have been unhelpful. an individual. In situations where a young person’s safety is guaranteed, talking about parenting behaviour can be done in a realistic and non-blaming way that acknowledges some parents don’t get it right all the time. It is also helpful for the young person to understand Ideas from this Help Sheet their parents’ behaviour in a broader context. For example, thinking about where they learnt that behaviour from, or – Reframing involves presenting an alternative what their experience was like as a child. This may help a possible explanation, interpretation or perception of young person realise it is not their fault, or that the behaviour an experience. was not a response to them personally. – Use reflective listening to validate feelings and When using these approaches, it is very important to not experiences and build rapport prior to using minimise the pain or unfairness of particular experiences, but reframing techniques. to empathise and validate feelings, to offer new language – Reframe in a way which respects their perceptions which may be less extreme (if appropriate), and to invite the and values, while offering a new perspective and young person to hold additional ideas and views about the possible solutions. experiences (reframe). Page 2 Working with Young People : Reframing Feelings About Family Related Help Sheets Worker Help Sheets – Dealing with “Black and White Thinking” – Discussing Family – Improving Family Relations – Family Dynamics Parent Help Sheets – Family Dynamics – Dealing with Past Hurts and Traumas – Building our Relationship – Improving Communication Suggested Reading – McCashen W., (2006) The Strengths Approach, Innovative Resources, Australia. – Geldard, D. & Geldard, K. (2005) Basic Personal Counselling: a training manual for counsellors, Pearson/Prentice Hall, Austrialia. – Fuller, A., (1998) From Surviving to Thriving: Promoting Mental Health in Young People, ACER, Melbourne. Strong Bonds Jesuit Social Services PO Box 1141 Collingwood Victoria 3066 Tel (03) 9415 8700 Email info@strongbonds.jss.org.au Web www.strongbonds.jss.org.au
no reviews yet
Please Login to review.