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The Web address of this two-page article is https://sfhelp.org/pro/req/study.htm

Note - this model and series was originally designed to focus on effective clinical work with typical di-vorcing families and stepfamilies. It is being reorganized in 2009 to pertain to all "low-nurturance" (multi-problem, "dysfunctional") families, and persons recovering from early-childhood trauma ("Grown Wounded Children" - GWCs). Sections still hilight keys to serving divorcing and stepfamily members effectively.

        Clicking links here will open a new window or an informational popup, so turn off your browser's popup blocker or accept popups from this nonprofit, ad-free site . If the windows distract you, read the article before following any links.

        This article is one of a series on effective professional counseling, coaching, and therapy with (a) low-nurturance (dysfunctional) families and with (b) typical survivors of childhood neglect and trauma. These articles for professionals are under construction.

        This series assumes you're familiar with:

The premises underlying this nonprofit, ad-free site Normal personality subselves - text Grown Wounded Children (GWCs) and what it means to be a GWC The [wounds + unawareness] cycle - text Three steps you can take to break this cycle Useful clinical and lay terms

        Before continuing, pause and reflect - why are you reading this article? What do you need?

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        This Web site and clinical model are based on the premise that a silent [wounds + ignorance] cycle causes most problems in human systems like personalities, families, and organizations. The antidote for ignorance is a desire to learn about key topics.

        Paradox: most lay and professional adults don't know what they need to know to maintain stable, satisfying relationships and systems, so they don't seek education in eight key topics. The topics build on each other, so the order matters. They are...

• How to apply principles of human systems to effective clinical work with persons, couples, and families;

• Human needs (discomforts) and family nurturance-levels (low to high);

• Human personality development, structure, and functioning - internal family systems;

• The silent [wounds + ignorance] cycle that is steadily degrading our families and culture;

• Effective communication and problem-solving basics and skills;

• Attachment, loss, and healthy three-level grief;

• Human relationships and solving relationship "problems," including a 3-level model of human problems (unmet needs); and...

• Effective clinical work with (a) typical divorcing families and stepfamilies, and with (b) individuals motivated to reduce false-self wounds and harmonize their inner family of subselves.

       Based on 27 year's professional study and over 17,000 hours of clinical experience, this nonprofit divorce-prevention Web site offers interrelated articles and guidebooks for lay people and professionals on these eight topics. This article provides links to key articles by topic, for self-education and/or group study and discussion.

       Options - invest time in taking these quizzes to see what you (need to) know. As you do, imagine typical client-adults' and co-workers' reactions to taking each quiz.

Principles of Human Systems

        Since the advent of family-system concepts in the 1950s, human-service professionals have been adopting and working from the belief that the health and functioning of adults and kids are significantly affected by the traits and dynamics of the human systems they come from and belong to.

        A core implication is that to provide effective service, professionals need to understand the structure and dynamics of clients', patients', and their own systems and metasystems . A recent expansion of this idea is that all normal persons are composed of interactive physiological + personality + spiritual subsystems which obey the same principles as systems of persons, like families and organizations.

        For  a basic introduction to systemic principles and terminology, study this article, and tailor its ideas to fit your experience and belief system. Then reflect on...

• how and when to apply these principles in your life and work,

• whether your co-workers and colleagues understand and apply these principles effectively, and what to do if they don't; and ...

• if, when, and how to teach these principles to (a) your family's adults and kids, and (b) typical clients.

Self check - to gauge your knowledge about systemic principles, answer these items as True, False, or ? (I'm not sure):

I can clearly describe what a "system," subsystem, and a "metasystem" is to an average teenager now.  (T  F  ?)

I can clearly describe systemic elements, boundaries, rules, and stability now. (T  F  ?)

I can clearly illustrate how these concepts apply to (a) a typical system of individual personality subselves, (b) a metasystem of a two-person relationship, (c) a typical multi-generational family meta-system, and (d) a client-clinician metasystem.  (T  F  ?)

I agree that effective clinical service depends on my understanding and applying these principles to my work now.  (T  F  ?)

My true Self answered these questions,  or I know which other subselves did.  (T  F  ?)

Needs and Nurturance Levels

 

Personality Development, Structure, and Functioning