Circumplex Model

foundation Marriage and Family atomic number 18 very important aspects of the human experience. These two units see vital authoritys in who individuals are and who they may become. Many times issues or problems arise in the married couple and family organize thus, requiring therapy in order to take matters better. The Circumplex homunculus of Family and Marriage has been used and has been affective in the discourse performance when wait oning dysfunctional families. The Circumplex mannequin of Marriage and Family Therapy developed by David Olson and new(prenominal) colleagues provides a road map in understanding the marriage and family experience.Circumplex influence of Marriage and Family As previously mentioned, the Circumplex stick of Marriage and Family Therapy was developed by David Olson and several of his colleagues. This model focuses on the three central attributes of marital and family systems ropiness, flexibility, and parley (Olson, 1999). In these rati os the family system is ranged from equalizerd, to mid-ranged, to extreme. The family system is further ranked as chaotic, flexible, structural, or rigid.This model was developed in an attempt to narrow the separation of look for, theory, and lend oneself (Olson, 1999). Olson states that the model is specifically designed for clinical assessment, treatment planning, and outcome strength of marital and family therapy. Three Dimensions of the Circumplex position As stated prior, the three dimensions of the Circumplex Model are cohesion or togetherness. The second being flexibility or the amount of change in the families leadership, role relationships, and relationship rules, and the last dimension is communication.Following is a clearer definition of each dimension Cohesion set forth as the emotional bonding that family members have toward one anformer(a). Family cohesion send word be considered as emotion bonding, boundaries, coalitions, time space, friends, decision-making, an d interests and recreation. The focus of cohesion is how systems balance their separateness versus togetherness. There are four levels of cohesion ranging from disengaged (very low) to separated (low to moderate) to affiliated (moderate to high) to enmeshed (very high).It is hypothesized that the central or balanced levels of cohesion (separated and connected) make for optimum family functioning. The extremes or unbalanced levels (disengaged or enmeshed) are generally seen as toughened for relationships over the long term (Olson, 1999). FlexibilityThis is the amount of change in its leadership, role relationships, and relationship rules. The specific concepts include leadership (control, discipline), negotiation styles, role relationships and relationship rules.The focus of flexibility is on how systems balance stability versus change. The four levels of flexibility range from rigid (very low) to structured (low to moderate) to flexible (moderate to high) to chaotic (very high). As with cohesion, it is hypothesized that central or balanced levels of flexibility (structured and flexible) are more contributory to earnest marital and family functioning, with extremes (rigid and chaotic) being the most problematic for families as they go bad through their life cycle.Flexibility focuses on the change in a familys leadership, roles and rules (Olson, 1999). CommunicationThis aspect is considered critical for facilitating movement on the other two dimensions. Because it is a facilitating dimension, communication is not graphically included in the model along with cohesion and flexibility. Communication is measured by direction on the family as a group with regard to their listening skills, disquisition skills, self-disclosure, clarity, continuity tracking, and respect and regard.In terms of listening skills, the focus is on empathy and attentive listening. Speaking skills include speaking for oneself and not speaking for others. Self-disclosure disturbs to o verlap feelings about self and the relationship. Tracking is staying on topic, and respect and regard relate to the affective aspect of the communication and problem solving skill in couples and families and have found that balanced systems tend to have very good communication, whereas unbalanced systems tend to have poor communication (Olson, 1999). Circumplex Model catch and Family MapThe three dimensional Family Circumplex Model Each of the dimensions in the Circumplex Model are key elements in the how Olsons view of marriage and family are based. Olson believes that the way families interact with each other is based on togetherness, flexibility, and communication. wadvass and evaluating these areas can lead to answers and solutions of troubled families and marriages. Treatment Planning Using the Circumplex Model The Circumplex Model has been a useful tool in the treatment fulfill of service dysfunctional families.A major job for research outcomes is to gear up which elemen ts of interference are most appropriate and effective with which presenting problems and with which elements of family functioning (Olson, 1999). This model was formulated to lead families towards more functional exemplars and rise above conduct what is not socially correct or accepted. The model provides a abstract framework for assessing family system functioning on two dimensions of family organization cohesion and flexibility (Olson, 1999).Families that are monitored under the Circumplex Model from either extreme intervention strategies can be set in place to guide them towards a more balanced system in a step by step plow. Clinicians need to be very attentive to prevent swinging that can occur. The clinician has to evaluate and rate each aspect of the treatment process in order to affectively rank the family or couple in the model. In doing this, the clinician has to determine which area is the outweighing factor that is ca use the most conflict in the family. Using the Ci rcumplex Model in my PracticeAfter careful research and studying of the Circumplex Model, I have found the components of the model to be quite an interesting. It is believed that the model, if careful used and used in depth to assess issues of family and marriage can be very useful in determining the chill out cause of the dysfunction that the family is stricken by. I personally would attempt using the Circumplex Model once I have become a healer because I believe it would lead me to ways that can shed shed light on on key causes of family problems and possibly could be a path to other therapeutic processes to help the client.Because I believe that this model does pin charge up problems of clients whether there is a wishing of togetherness, too much togetherness, a escape of flexibility or too much flexibility, or a lack of communication, this model provides enough information to give the necessary treatment to help clients overcome their problems. Conclusion The Circumplex M odel of Marriage and Family ultimate object is to noseband the gap between research, theory, and clinical practice (Olson, 1999). It is designed for clinical assessments and treatment planning with couples and families.Through the three dimensions of cohesion, flexibility, and communication, studies are performed to evaluate the extremities of each dimension thus, shedding light on what the family or couple maybe lack or overly possessing. Clinicians must have a central goal of the presenting problem and symptoms of family members to achieve intervention focuses on changing a dysfunctional type of couple or family system (Olson, 1999). The basic assumption is that the flowing pattern of interaction in the family system dynamics are helping to maintain symptomatic behaviors (Olson, Gorall, 2006).Before the problems of the families and marriages can be alleviated, the current pattern of interaction in the family needs to be changed. The Circumplex Model of Marriage and Family can be very helpful to clinicians in providing treatment and very practiced to clients who maybe seeking assistance to resolve matters in his or her family structure of marriage. References FACES IV & the Circumplex Model, David H. Olson & Dean Gorall, 2006 www. lifeinnovations. com Circumplex Model of Marital & Family Systems, David H. Olson, 1999