Social Support and Family Connectedness - Assignment Example

Psychology Culture The has equipped me with knowledge about social support and family connectedness. Social support refers to the complex construction of elements that is illustrated by function and structure of interpersonal relationships (Crow 93). Various models of counseling outlined different social support dimensions such as instrumental support (helping and assisting carry out the necessary tasks). Informational support is inclusive of guidance and information for individuals as an enabler of performing daily activities on a consecutive basis. Emotional support focuses on emotional comfort and caring availed by peers. Other forms of researchers continue to underscore the relevance involved in the deconstruction of the ways specifying distinct interpersonal relations (Almeida, Johnson and Azrael 56). For instance, there is an advocacy effort for the identification of contributions between social connectedness and close connections for significant others. The scope of enacted support engages frequencies for supportive behaviors while perceived support refers to an individual’s perception for impact of support received. The relationship and source of recipients towards providers of such social support required extensive differentiation. Literature adds that there is a critical reference to the scope of support received and application of sources such as peers, family, and other significant others. The determination is an important concept within international research as gender roles based on cultural variations result in girls and boys making irrational responses to stressors (Walser and Westrup 90). Fundamental social ties have positive and direct impact on people’s health. Higher levels of social connectedness develop lower situations of blood pressure rates and improved immune responses. Social support allows for lower stress hormone levels that contribute towards prevention of a wide range of chronic diseases. Higher trust levels between residents can be linked to lower mortality rates. The concept of social connectedness indirectly promotes health. Bridging and bonding relationships among individuals creates healthier social norms while helping people improve on access to local services and availability of emotional support. Another element is that of increasing knowledge base about health popular as “health literacy” among different social networks (Jongsma and Berghuis 53). Communities that have high bridging and linking levels for social capital are strategically positioned towards influencing policies that advance health in areas that demographic and socioeconomic diversity is involved. On the other hand, absence of social connectedness is called social isolation and is a risk factor towards multiple chronic diseases such as cancer, obesity, high blood diabetes, and pressure. Greater social isolation among individuals causes greater depression symptoms where there is the increased likelihood to report fairness and health promotion as compared to individuals within social networks (Almeida, Johnson and Azrael 53). The outcomes of isolation to social welfare occur based on socioeconomic status, race, age, or gender. In extreme cases, negative social isolation impacts appear mostly between disenfranchised communities such as the elderly and the poor. Failure of systems in social connectedness increases stress levels while leading to risky behavior that jeopardizes a health. Some of the activities addressed include increased alcohol and tobacco use. The course has equipped me with skills of applying the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model in problem analysis. Individuals in the conformity stage exhibit preferences on dominant cultural values against their personal, cultural values (Walser and Westrup 98). The stage focuses on identifying individuals within dominant groups and using them as primary groups of reference. The stage allows persons to feel negative and downplay their cultural group through passive salience on the part of identities. Encounters and experiences within the dissonance stage are mostly inconsistent with the attitudes, values and beliefs held by the culture within conformity stages. For example, minority individuating with diminished opinions about their cultural heritages encounter peers from the same cultural groups with utmost pride for their heritage (Jongsma and Berghuis 38). Denial occurs, and such individuals question their beliefs and attitudes based on the conformity stage. The resistance and immersion phase shows minority persons having higher likelihood of feeling guilt, shame and anger at the racism and oppression previously facing them. The stage marks increased endorsement for views held by a minority as well as rejection of societal and cultural dominant values. The introspection stage illustrates individuals with high devotion towards having an understanding of their personalities within minority groups and the deeper level meanings. On the other hand, intense reactivity against the dominant culture through immersion and resistance stage where the introspection stage proposes action based on the ‘pro-active’ dentitions and discovery of the individual’s sense of self. Integrative awareness stage is inclusive of security senses and abilities of appreciating positive aspects for own culture as well as dominant cultures. Persons in this phase resolve conflict exposed throughout earlier stages while extending extensive senses of control (Almeida, Johnson and Azrael 65). The element of the application refers to the flexibility to recognize the benefits and structures of cultural groups and elimination of all oppression forms. Cultural identity refers to a feeling of belonging and is part of the self-conception on nationality, religion, generation, ethnicity, social class, locality or other forms of social groupings (Brownmiller 102). The distinctive cultures are elements of social corporation where identities are both characteristic for individuals and culturally identical groups where members share a similar cultural identity. Cultural identity offers familiar grounds for overlapping with identity politics. Cultural identity attainment is presented through clear and confident acceptances of an individual and internalization process of a person’s cultural identity (Gallardo, Yeh, Trimble and Parham 32). The stage allows people to accept their cultural identities and the roles they play in their decision making and evaluation of future choices. The application of the model includes the establishment of ways of raising children, dealing with stereotypes and other discrimination forms in approaching negative perceptions. The concept leads to increment in positive psychological adjustment and self-confidence (Walser and Westrup 53). The course has instituted the knowledge about the Roles and skills of a good counselor. Counselors do not have a homogenous approach to defining and treating problems. People do not understand similar language in similar ways while their understanding is linked to personal experiences in the field. During counseling sessions, it is critical to have the counselor not fitting clients into a unified idea of treatment and action (Greene 67). The roles of counselors include enabling clients explore different aspects of personal feelings and life through open and free talk. Talking through such environments makes it possible for family and friends to induce emotional involvement while addressing opinions and biases detrimental to counseling success. It is critical that counselors detach emotional involvement with clients and do not allude to the same during counseling sessions (Gallardo, Yeh, Trimble and Parham 152). Counseling should not be about judging or offering advice. Counselors give clients opportunities of express their difficult feelings including anger, resentment, fear and guilt within confidential environments. Counselors encourage their clients to continue examining various aspects of their lives that are impossible or difficult to address. Some forms of exploration within early childhood experiences offer opportunities of offering insight to why individuals react and respond in established ways and distinct situations (Walser and Westrup 96). The element of concern includes following major considerations of ways that clients may alternate such behaviors. Effective approaches to counseling reduce the level of confusion and allow clients to make well-thought decisions. Such atmospheres lead to positive changes where attitudes and behavior is based on goals and problem-solving. Effective counseling does not involve giving advice and is not acting on behalf of others like life coaches do. An ultimate counseling goal includes enabling clients make independent choices while reaching their decisions and conclusions (Jongsma and Berghuis 85). Some of the critical counseling skills include Communication skills such as active reflection, listening, clarification and efficient questioning skills. Counselors attempt to build fundamental rapport amounts with the clients but avoid becoming emotionally involved. Counselors should be empathetic and have the ability of seeing through things based on the client’s view instead of sympathetic for their clients (Greene 53). Empathy helps counselors in asking appropriate questions as well as leading clients to formidable conclusions. Active listening in the counseling process is a fundamental skill coupled with encouragement of clients to focus on asking questions and maintain client’s responses on schedule. Counselors should listen to the hidden meanings (what clients do not say aloud). Such situations happen based on omission and expressed non-verbally (Brownmiller 192). Being in a position of interpreting and using non-verbal communication like voice pitch and tone, facial expressions, gestures, posture and key unconscious movements. Paraphrasing the client’s speech and reflection on feelings on are techniques applied in communicating the understanding of the counselor. Making summary notes enables counselors to project most elements together concisely and accurately in few but powerful words (Crow 34). The fourth aspect that the course has impacted on knowledge is the role of ethics in counseling. An Ethics Code aims at providing guidance for counselors and improving the professional conduct standards applied within the field. Most institutions and other governance bodies have adopted them in part or in full. Ethics Codes are not focused on civil liability basis. Whether counselors have violated standards outlined on the Ethics Code is not a determinant of whether the individual is legally answerable to court action irrespective of contract enforceability and other legal consequences. Modifiers applied in various the standards of the Ethics Code include reasonability, appropriateness and potential as included within the counseling profession (Gallardo, Yeh, Trimble and Parham 76). The ethical conduct allows for professional judgment among counseling personnel and elimination of injustices and inequalities occurring without such modifiers (Greene 38). The concept of compensation ensures applicability of broader elements of activities proffered by counseling while guarding against various sets of rules that are quickly outdated. The application of the systems in the Ethics Code allow for reasonable means prevailing within professional judgment among counseling professionals and their engagements in similar activities and circumstances (Jongsma and Berghuis 39). The scope of knowledge for counseling persons should have ample resources in the development stages. In the decision making process, elements of professional behavior allow counseling personnel to consider the Ethics Code based on applicable laws as well as psychology board regulations (Brownmiller 98). Application of an Ethics Code in the counseling professional work requires inclusion of supportive materials and guidelines which are endorsed or adopted through professional psychological and scientific systems while dictating their individual conscience. The concept allows for consultations with others based on the field (Greene 98). Ethical counseling practices establish higher standards of behavior as compared to those enforced by law. Counselors should meet high ethical standards. In case ethical responsibilities of counselors and psychologists conflict with law, there are regulations or governing legal authority for making known commitment to Ethics Code (Walser and Westrup 83). Counselors are expected to take reasonable steps towards resolving the conflict through responsible means and observing human rights as the basic principles. The autonomy principle addresses the independence concept. The importance of the principle includes creating an allowance for individuals to exercise their freedom of action and choice (Crow 87). The approach also addresses responsibilities of counselors in encouraging clients and enabling them make independent decisions while acting on certain values. The major considerations include encouraging autonomy among clients (Crow 38). First, counselors should help clients understand how certain decisions and values may be received in the social contexts and how such provisions may impinge against others’ rights (Jongsma and Berghuis 78). The other consideration involves relationship to the ability of clients in making rational and sound decisions. Persons are not in a position of making competent choices, including minors, and those with mental handicaps, cannot be permitted to take action on such decisions as they could cause harm to them or to others. The course has also passed information about post-traumatic stress disorder counseling. PTSD could develop after experiencing traumatic events that threaten an individual’s safety or makes them feel helpless. Traumatic events leading to PTSD include war, rape, natural disasters, sexual or physical abuse, terrorist attacks, plane or car crashes, assault, kidnapping and childhood neglect (Bradford and Gluckstern 29). PTSD symptoms among children include irritability and aggression, compulsive play, unexplained aches and pains, acting out of trauma, nightmares and sleep problems, lose of previously-acquired skills and new phobias and anxieties. Other post-traumatic stress disorder common symptoms include suicidal thoughts and feelings, physical aches and pains as well as anger and irritability. Other elements include substance abuse, betrayal and mistrust feelings, depression and hopelessness as well as shame, guilt, or self-blame (Brownmiller 97). PTSD affects individuals who have personal encounters with catastrophes or those witnessing them. In other cases, PTSD affects the people who are left behind picking up the pieces after the occurrence such as law enforcement officers and emergency workers. It also occurs among family members or friends who faced actual trauma (Greene 87). PTSD has different ways of developing among persons. While the PTSD symptoms commonly develop within days or hours after traumatic events, they sometimes take months, years, or even weeks prior their appearance (Jongsma and Berghuis 89). Most of the risk factors revolve within the scope of traumatic events themselves. Traumatic events have a higher likelihood of causing PTSD when involved in severe threats to personal safety or life. More prolonged and extreme threat causes greater risks in the development of PTSD responses (Walser and Westrup 98). Intentional harm inflicted by human such as assault, torture, and rape tends to be traumatic as compared to “acts of God” and other impersonal disasters and accidents. The scope upon which traumatic events were unexpected, inescapable, and uncontrollable plays important roles in determining viable solutions (Gallardo, Yeh, Trimble and Parham 48). The search for therapists for PTSDs requires that patients focus on mental health professionals with specialization in trauma and PTSD treatment. Advice from doctors may lead to professional referrals to counselors with experience in treating trauma. Asking for recommendations from other trauma survivors or calling local psychiatric hospitals, mental health clinics, or counseling centers may be of help. Past the credentials and experience, it is imperative that the patients find PTSD therapists who make them feel safe and comfortable. The approach eliminated additional anxieties or fears regarding the treatment process. Some of the ways of addressing PTSD include PTSD and trauma learning, joining PTSD support groups, pursuing outdoor activities, avoiding alcohol and drugs, confiding in trustworthy persons and practicing relaxation techniques. Lastly, I have learned about the trends and dangers of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Sexual orientation discrimination is inclusive of different treatment and harassment due to perceived or real sexual orientation irrespective of a person being lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual, or gay. Such forms of discrimination are made illegal within most workplaces (Brownmiller 64). Even though federal laws offer protection to people against workplace discrimination on issues of race, age, religion, national origin, disability, and sex, the laws are open-ended for suppressing workplace discrimination for sexual orientation within private sector. Federal government workers continue to attar cat protection from the discrimination (Bradford and Gluckstern 89). Efforts of passing federal legislation to outlaw sexual orientation discrimination within private workplaces have not been successful even though more Congress members are in support of such bills each year (Walser and Westrup 24). State-level laws and regulations offer powerful grounds for individuals to participate fully in the society.Even though the level of difficulty is rather relaxed, there is an encouraged adoption of mainstreaming of vocabulary for monitoring or follow-up. The consistent problems among various organizations require adoption of gender mainstreaming for the translation and commitment on application action. In America, close to half the states have laws currently prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation within public and private jobs. The states include Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Illinois, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Washington (Bradford and Gluckstern 64). Mainstreaming of gender perspectives includes processes involved in the assessment of implications to men and women of planned actions, such as programs, policies or legislation, in each area and level. The approach allows for making mens, as well as womens experiences, and concerns integral dimensions for implementation, design, evaluation and monitoring of programs and policies in all societal, political and economic spheres. The goal of the strategy includes providing equal benefits to either gender, as well as inequality without perpetuated intent. Ultimate goals of the process include achieving gender equality. In conclusion, there are various legal theories that address negligent infliction or intentional of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, harassment, assault, battery, defamation and wrongful termination. Additionally, few states have implemented laws that prohibit sexual orientation discrimination only for public workplaces. Some local governments and states prohibit the practice of workplace discrimination anchored on gender identity through self-identified individuals gender against anatomical sex. Works Cited Almeida, Jackson., Johnson, R. M. and Azrael, Dickson. Emotional distress among LGBTQ youth: The influence of perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38(7), 1001-14. 2009. Print Bradford M., & Gluckstern, N. Berghuis. Issues In Counseling Women. Alexandria, VA: Microtraining Associates Video. 2005. Brownmiller, Susan. Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape. Simon & Schuster. 1975. Print Crow, Jim."International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2014 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3045301216.html Gallardo, Mie., Yeh, Chris., Trimble, James., Parham, Thomas. Culturally adaptative counseling skills.Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. 2012. Print Greene, Biker. African American Women. In L. Comas-Diaz & B. Greene (Eds.), Women of Color: Integrating Ethnic and Gender Identity in Psychotherapy (pp. 10-27). New York: The Guildford Press. 1994. Print Jongsma, Arthur. And Berghuis, David. (2014) The Adult Psychotherapy treatment Planner. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. Print Walser, Richard. and Westrup, Derrick. Acceptance and commitment therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma-related problems. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications. 2007. Print Read More