A Family in Crisis.

A wife, husband, and three adolescent children come to your office. The family was referred by the youngest boy's child welfare and attendance officer. The boy is acting out by stealing and is viewed as the problem person in the family.

The husband is in your office reluctantly. He appears angry and unapproachable, and he lets you know that he doesn't believe in this "therapy stuff." He makes excuses for the boy and says he doesn't see that there is much of a problem, either in the marriage or in the family.

The wife tells you that she and her husband fight a lot, that there is much tension in the home, and that the children are suffering. She is fearful about what might happen to her family. She has no way of supporting herself and her three children and is willing to work on the relationship

Your stance.

1. How would you be affected by this family?
2. What course of action would you take?
3. How would your values pertaining to family life influence your interventions with this family? Would you expose your own values in this case, even if the family members did not ask you?
4. If they asked you what you thought of their situation and what you thought they should do, what would you say?