Childhood Issues

This week we consider children and related issues to gain a better understanding of this under-served population. When working with families, much of the practice of family therapy rests on the foundation of family systems, which views psychological and relational problems as arising from within the individual's present environment and intergenerational family system. Counseling children and families additionally requires the counselor to pay close attention to ethical issues, i.e. determining who is their primary client, dealing with confidentiality, policies on handling secrets, providing informed consent, counseling minors, and exploring the role of values in family therapy.

Childhood Issues: How might the church be best addressing these types of struggles? In what ways do children and youth ministries gain support with more challenging children, and what is thought of them and their families within the church? How might we be able to bridge gaps in this type of care? What might parents and families need as support via the church?

Family Issues: The task of the counselor is to help a couple or a family explore and carify their own values, not to influence them to accept the therapist's value system. Likewise, a key ethical issues is the impact of the counselor's life experiences on his or her ability to practice effectively and objectively.