Family Attachment Theory

Every family is different with various traditions, stories, dynamics, and values. However, every family has problems, large and small, that impact people uniquely. Understanding the issues that families encounter and how they affect the family and each individual member is important in becoming an effective helping professional.
The Family Issues course covered numerous topics including theories and tools for professionals to use in assessing and understanding the impact of issues on family members. Theories regarding families such a Bronfenbrenner, Family Systems Theory, and ABCX Model help to focus a professional’s view of the world and the family dynamics. Attachment theory describes four different types of attachment and the ways in which these attachments affect children’s interactions with others. Parenting styles have a large impact on the attachment and relationship between children and parents. Professionals can seek to understand the dynamics and relationships within families using genograms. Genograms are illustrations of the hereditary patterns and psychological factors that visually explain the relationships in family units. Another creative tool for illustrating family dynamics includes allowing a client to draw their family as either an ocean, aquarium, zoo,
Issues may include mental illness, addiction, sexuality, domestic violence, sexual abuse, divorce, incarceration, finances, secrets, and medical difficulties. These family problems could result in a variety of internal and external reactions from each member such as anger, confusion, anxiety, depression, and destructive behaviors. It is crucial that helping professionals become aware of the various conditions that could be present in the life of the clients they serve. Professionals must consider and seek to understand the effects and impact of family issues when developing strategies to provide effective