Running Head: Assignment 3.

1: The Family Crucible 1

Assignment 5.1: The Family Crucible

Katelyn Skinner

Wake Forest University

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While no two families are exactly like another we each share common patterns that shape

the way we interact with those closest to us. Family therapy acts a catalyst “which we hope will

help the family unlock their own resources” ( Napier & Whitaker, 1988, p. 62). The process of

family therapy includes initial sessions, the middle phase of treatment, and finally termination.

Initial sessions are utilized to build rapport and focus on uncovering the family dynamics:

power, boundaries, coalition, roles, rules, and patterns of communication (Gladding, 2019, p.

176). When Napier and Whitaker began their work with the Brice Family they quickly

pinpointed the identified patient from the initial phone call to the nonverbal cues exhibited by

Claudia within the first meeting. As the family took their seats it quickly became clear where the

coalitions lie: David with Claudia and Carolyn with Don. They each complained about each

other to their children instead of communicating openly and honestly with one another about

their feelings and ultimately their marriage. Whitaker began by asking Napier what he knew

about the family from his initial impressions. This conversation took place in front of the clients

(the family) to establish open communication from the inception of the therapeutic relationship.

The middle phase of family therapy consists of an analysis of each family members

behavior in order to promote awareness to reorient future behaviors and interactions (Gladding,

2019, p.176). In the Brice Family a major behavior that must be examined is the triangulation of

Claudia followed closely by the triangulation of Don. Both Claudia and Don (at different times)

act as scapegoats for their parent’s marriage taking on the burden of the apparent tension

between the two. The family as a unit must face these dysfunctional patterns and flawed methods

of communication but first they must challenge their current perspective. Incorporating humor

when appropriate “increases the number of positive experiences that a family shares, to reduce

stress, and to strengthen the family relationship” (Gladding, 2019, p. 173). Whitaker and Napier
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employ humor a number of times throughout their work with the Brice Family to alter their

perspective and bring hope to what feels like a hopeless situation. The first instance takes place

when Laura asks about the sculpture in Carl’s office which belonged to his grandfather. Napier

quickly interjected “If you think it’s strange looking, you should see his grandmother!” (Napier

& Whitaker, 1988, p.5). Again, Napier utilizes humor when the Brice family returns and Don

nearly runs into him saying “Hey, you’re supposed to run away from therapy, not toward it!”

(Napier & Whitaker, 1988, p.60). Whitaker uses therapy when opening up the parent’s sex life

as a point of conversation amongst the children and his general method of questioning

throughout the therapeutic process.

Termination of family therapy involves four steps: orientation, summarization, discussion

of long term goals, and follow up and relapse prevention (Gladding, 2019, p. 177). The

termination for the Brice Family took place almost in a series of stages. First the focus was

turned from exclusively the family as a whole to the marital unit with the children joining only

occasionally, then to Carolyn as an individual client, and eventually done altogether. The Brice

Family made improvements and eventually grew to accept fighting as part of living with other

people and not as somethings so strictly tied to its negative connotation.

Napier and Whitaker exhibit numerous strengths as family counselors; especially in their

work as a team. From the start of their work with the Brice Family they seem to be on the same

page and eb and flow well with one another. Napier as well as Whitaker remained firm and

unanimous in their decision to wait for Don as it would have been unfair to all parties involved to

move forward without all members of the family present. Whitaker and Napier remained

constant as well as firm in their boundaries with the family in this first “test” of trust to

determine whether or not the therapist (in this case co-therapists) was up to the challenge to
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provide the support necessary to help facility change within the system. Napier referred to this

phenomenon as the “Battle of Structure” (Gladding, 2019, p.10). Unlike individual therapy,

family therapists are entering into an already established system as an outsider. It is important

that they find a balance between firmness and warmth. They continuously reminded the family

that they as a team and were leading the sessions, deciding who was speaking and when, as well

as when certain conversations were not going to be productive or helpful towards the family’s

overall growth. There is a strength in Whitaker and Napier’s use of Laura to bring a soften to a

tension filled situation. For example, when David and Claudia were fighting, and Claudia breaks

down Naiper prompts Laura to comfort her when she seeks reassure that Claudia is okay from

her Mother. The “utter caring that children possess so easily, and adults achieve with such

difficulty” brings about a warmth that can be felt by therapist and family alike (Napier &

Whitaker, 1988, p. 69). Napier and Whitaker also exhibit weaknesses as a family counselor. The

biggest weakness would have to be transfer and countertransference most evident in the fight

between Whitaker and Don. When “the therapist becomes too involved, he loses his professional

status and is rendered impotent” (Napier & Whitaker, 1988, p.183). While we all, therapist

included, are not without fault it is important that we remain self-aware and cognizant of our

faults and the effect they can have on us and our interactions with others. If I were working with

the Brice Family I do not know that I would have felt comfortable engaging in multiple roles

even if not at the same time as boundaries are harder for me to maintain in situations of multiple

roles.
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Overall, I found The Family Crucible to be a very

interesting read that provided an authentic representation of how family systems operate, and the

patterns present. I have read The Family Crucible once before and the feel more drawn than ever

to working with this population. With a combination of my personal and professional experience

I hope to work with a subspecialty of family therapy: divorcing families. I hope to provide a

voice to the children who are often powerless in the wake of marital distress.
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References

Gladding, S. T. (2019). Family Therapy, 7th Edition. [BryteWave]. Retrieved from

https://shelf.brytewave.com/#/books/9780134785455/
Napier, A., & Whitaker, C. A. (1988). The family crucible (First Perennial Library ed.). New York:
Harper & Row.
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