Yhtomit 20170309

Running Head: BLENDED FAMILY COUNSELING 0

Blended Family Counseling

Azurdee Brown

Liberty University

Paper Instructions

The final paper must be 10–12 pages (not including the title page, abstract page, or reference pages).

The paper must include a minimum of 10 peer-reviewed and academic journal resources. The articles should be dated within the past 5 years. These resources are already included in this attachment as the annotated bibliography. Please be sure to include biblical references throughout the paper. This school is a Christian school and this is required on every assignment.

Do not include pictures, charts, or graphs in the final paper.

Most of the paper was completed over the term. You should have a title page and abstract from previous modules/weeks. The annotated bibliography should not be pasted in the paper. However, the annotated bibliography should offer the information and sources that you may use in the paper.

The required components that must be included in the paper:

• Title page

• Abstract page- already completed and in this attachment

• Body of 10–12 pages

• Reference page-use the 10 cited references from the annotated bibliography.

The paper must follow current APA format guidelines.

What is the HS problem (Describe)?

What are the causes/ root cause of this problem?

What has been done in the past to address this problem?

What needs to be done in the future to better address this problem?

What is my biblical world view related to this problem?

What is my Summary Conclusion and Recommendations?

Final Paper Grading Rubric

Here are some helpful suggestions to help you get the most learning and highest grade on your final paper.   

Title Page per APA centered vertical and horizontal with running head

 and page numbers (one page)

Abstract per APA: (one full and separate page) 

Paragraph Headers to use: (10-12 pages)

1.   Research Problem: (What is the problem you are researching?) 1/4 page 

2.   Problem History: (What has been done in the past to attempt to address this problem and what has been the result?) No more than 5 pages or 50% of your paper. Work will be devalued if you go over the page limits.

3.   Action Needed: (What more needs to be done and by whom to more aggressively address this problem?) About 30% or 3 pages of your paper

4.   Personal Response: (What can I do to address this problem in my own way?) about 10% or one page of your paper

5.   World View: (What is my World View related to this problem?) about 10%   

      or one page of your paper

6.   Summary and Conclusion: (Key Points and Call to Action) 1-2 paragraphs

7.  References: (Per APA) Starts with "References" header and then follows APA guidelines.

Annotated Bibliography

Browne, D. (2016). Wills and estates: Blended families: Recent trends in family provision claims. LSJ: Law Society of NSW Journal, 3(1), 88.

The study focuses on blended families with significant consideration on recent trends in family provision claims. The researcher focus on identifying happiness index among marriages within Australian couples. Thus, the main objective of the study was to establish the trend of blended families and how they are influenced by different factors within the environment. The study was able to find that many of Australians live longer and healthier lives in their subsequent marriages due to experiences. However, the study shows that children are the most affected in the blended families since it is difficult for them since they are highly unlikely to adapt. This study is very important and will be very helpful in this case since it provides a global perspective on blended families and different ways it can be successful.

Bryant, J. (2014). Counselling a Woman Traumatized by Severe Abuse. Psychology, 2014

The researchers conducted a study on counseling a woman traumatized by severe abuse. The study focused on a newly married Christian wife and a mother of three children who sought help at a college counseling for substance dependence and marital problems. The study was able to find that there are significant underlying issues that play a critical role in influencing the psychological composition where married women in blended families go through. The study also was able to provide a significant understanding that may partners in blended families tend to engage in substance abuse to control the impact of trauma that they go through. Therefore this study is very important since it will be very important in this study since it creates a better understanding of what traumatized women can go through in blended families and how counseling is very important.

Canfield, B. (2015). 3 Diversity and Intercultural Work in Family Counseling. Foundations of Couples, Marriage, and Family Counseling, 53.

The researchers conducted a study to understand the different diversity and intercultural work in family counseling. The authors state that there is significant consideration of family counseling and there are some types of family counseling that are important in ensuring that blended families can effectively work. The study thus conducted a review of literature where it was found that family counseling is one of the most preferred counseling among the blended couple and it plays a significant role in creating a better environment for both children and couples in blended companies. This study is important in understanding the importance of family counseling and its exact role in ensuring that blended families are successful just like other common families.

Gold, J. M., Bubenzer, D. L., & West, J. D. (1993). The presence of children and blended family marital intimacy. Journal of divorce & remarriage, 19 (3-4), 97-108.

The study was developed with a significant objective of understanding spousal dynamics in blended families. The study included a survey where 88 respondents were involved. The study was able to find that there are significant interaction effects for the residence of children on spouses marital intimacy and the birth of a mutual child on wives marital intimacy. Thus the study concluded that spousal dynamics in the blended family are very important and have a significant influence on the type of blended family that exists. The study will be very helpful in my research since it provides important research that focuses on various ways of improving the wellbeing of blended families.

Gonzales, J. (2014). Prefamily counseling: Working with blended families. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 50(2), 148-157.

The researcher focuses on family counseling which involves working with blended families. The author focuses on literature where he asserts that approximately 50% of all Americans have some step relationship. The study also outlines that currently, living in a blended family has become more commonplace. Thus, the study is based on the review of the literature on blended families. The study was able to determine that pretend family counseling is very important in bring new families together since critical aspects are addressed. Therefore, the study is very important and will be very helpful since it will provide important literature on a significant type of counseling that is important in streamlining blended families.

Harder, D. (2015). Family therapy with youth and their families: a family therapy internship with the Youth Community Counseling Team (Doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina).

The author provided more information on his study that focused on family therapy with youth and their families, which focused on a family therapy internship with youth community counseling team. The study thus focused on case examples involved in youth community counseling team. The report also provides a significant overview of some present services barriers to potential clients. The study was able to reveal that majority of the family therapy and counseling that are undertaken by the youth community system are majorly individuals from blended families since there exist significant misunderstanding between partners in these relationships. Counseling is thus the established way to manage some of the significant issues in blended families effectively. This article is very important and will be very much useful in the overall development of my study since it provides important information regarding the role of counseling in helping heal blended families of their experiences.

Kumar, K. (2017). The Blended Family Life Cycle. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 1-16.

The researcher conducted a study, which was aimed at understanding the blended family life cycle. The article asserts that blended families face a significant number of challenges that are very much different from the nuclear families. This has been compounded together with the many existing stereotypes which view blended families negatively. Thus, the study was able to determine that the creation of a blended family life cycle that is specific to blended family systems could play a significant role in ensuring that there is the creation of better-blended families. This study is very important since it creates a significant understanding of blended families and considers different approaches that can make the blended family work. Thus, this will be very important in developing my study since it includes a critical point of reference.

Martin-Uzzi, M., & Duval-Tsioles, D. (2013). The experience of remarried couples in blended families. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 54 (1), 43-57.

The study sought to examine the effect of previous marriage on remarried couples within the context of blended families. The study thus conducted a study where 15 blended couples were considered in the study. The study was able to find that majority of the couples were extremely cautious in selecting their spouses. Other factors that were observed from the study include differing loyalties, which caused stepparents to feel their needs came last, and the existence of role confusion. There are significant issues in blended families, and there is need to find a method where there is need to create a better and well-engaged policy to integrate blended families. This study research will be very important in identifying the best approach to dealing with blended families and the need for counseling as a major consideration to create a better environment for blended families.

Milevsky, A. (2016). Sibling Issues in Diverse Families. In Sibling Issues in Therapy (pp. 78-93). Palgrave Macmillan UK.

The study focuses on sibling issues in diverse families and different ways these issues can be solved to create a better engagement environment. Children in diverse families undergo some challenges, and as the study can highlight, children in blended families are highly likely to be ignored than any other type of family since there exists a very difficult engagement level between the different factors involving the couple. These sibling issues are very important to understand in the sense that they create a better environment where ii is easy to understand the challenges that are facing siblings in diverse families. The study will be very helpful since it significantly outlines the various sources of issues among siblings in diverse families. Being aware of these problems will be very important in the sense that it provides a better environment where it is much easy to determine the best approach to handle any of the issues that may be arising as well as notifying the couple about the challenges that their children are going through in secret.

Zeleznikow, L., & Zeleznikow, J. (2015). Supporting blended families to remain intact: A case study. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage , 56 (4), 317-335.

The author develops a study focusing on supporting blended families to remain intact. The author focuses on the issue that there has been a lesser focus on trying to keep newly blended families intact. The study thus proposes survival strategies workshops, which provides advice to blended families as well as offering to counsel to blended families to support them in remaining intact and promote positive values. The study thus asserts that most of the problems and challenges that occur in blended families are not unique since they occur in normal setting since individuals in the relationship are from a different environment and are accustomed to a different way of life and thus it is very difficult and challenging to cope relative well. This study is very important and will be helpful in creating a better learning process, which is important in developing better strategies for ensuring that blended families are successful.