Producing Family Problems

Organization and Uses of the Family Perspective and Rhetoric in Family Therapy

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2480916
AutoresGale Miller (Marquette University, autor correspondente)
Ano1987
Volume10
Fascículo2
Páginas245-265
Data de publicação1987-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoSymbolic Interaction (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0195-6086 • E-ISSN: 1533-8665
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1525/si.1987.10.2.245
OpenAlexW2086781203
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas12
Referências citadas11

This article applies and extends literature on the micropolitics of trouble and family rhetoric perspectives by analyzing how therapists in a family therapy agency practicing the brief model used family rhetoric in defining and responding to client problems. Family rhetoric is the use of images of family (the family perspective) to (1) persuade others to one's preferred orientation to issues of mutual concern and (2) attribute identities to one's self and others. The article focuses on how the therapists rhetorically enacted and applied the family perspective in interactions with colleagues and clients to define and remedy client troubles. In general, troubles were defined and remedied by treating them as products of clients' family systems, defined as enduring roles, relationships, and perspectives. The therapists sought to remedy client troubles by initiating changes assessed as appropriate for their troubles and family systems. The article concludes by considering some of the implications of the findings and analysis for the sociological study of human service work

Epistemology · Family therapy · Linguistics · Psychotherapist · Rhetoric · Sense of agency · Social science · Sociology · Computer Science · Counseling Practices and Supervision · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice