Hey hey everyone!
So a little more background on myself for a second. I am in this class trying to really make up my mind if I want to make my major marriage and family relations. Honestly, after this week, the answer would be yes. I really like the idea of being a relations counselor. This week in class we talked about the different types of relationships people have, and the effect that one relationship in a family can have on the rest of the family unit. I just got really excited this week about being able to help families learn how to work with each other.  any way. I am going to just type up some of my notes from this week and once again would love some feedback: questions, thoughts, judgments, arguments. I want to talk about it all! Thanks everyone!

Class Notes:
Monday:
Theory is an attempt to explain a happening.
Systems Theory- Each individual in a family is not just an independent part but has a great influence on every other individual in a family unit. Each individual in a family plays his/her own role.
Exchange Theory- Whatever I do for you, I want something of similar or greater value back.
          - Give/Take          - Usually informal agreements
          -If unbalanced it doesn't work
Symbolic Interaction Theory- Cognitive creatures (which we are) who are influenced and shaped by their interactions, and experiences with others.
          - All behavior has a meaning.
          - Meanings my not be shared and lead to confusion, frustration, disappointment, etc. (I mean one                      thing, they took it another way.)
Conflict Theory- Limited resources are shared and (usually) one person is decided upon who will be in charge of these resources and decide how they are distributed.
Wednesday-
- Apply Elder Packers, "if so, then...." statement to the family.
- As a counselor you must become a little part of the family, no matter how small that part is, in order to influence a family.
- Each family member must see their own importance and influence to the family system.
- In order to truly help a family you must have a genuine love for them.
- You must focus on each relationship in a family. In a family of three their are more than three relationships.
- When a family comes into a session you can get a little snapshot of a family situation based on where family members sit and who they sit next to.
 
There are three kinds of relationship boundaries in families.
Think of each example of relationships as a fence between neighbors.
(Lines below explanations are visual representations.)
1.) Clear- Picket fence: you can converse over it but there is a boundary.
 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2.) Ridged- Brick wall: tells people to keep out and there is no communication.
____________
3.) Defuse- Posts in the ground with nothing between them: people come and go as they please, and let themselves inside you house.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
 When connections and understanding happens in a ridged boundary it pokes holes in it and starts to become a clear boundary. _____ ___ _ _ ___


"Heavenly Father doesn't want natural relationships he wants divine Relationships."