Case Conceptualization for Movie The Kids are All Right
The client consists of a married white lesbian couple of Nic and Jules. Nic is an obstetrician while Jules is a housewife. They have a daughter named Joni who is 18 years and a son Laser of 15 years. The biological father of these children is Paul.
The family network of the client is supportive. However, Laser wants to meet his father, since he feels that he has to be reunited with his family roots. The culture that this couple belongs in does not seem to oppose homosexuality. This is because they have lived together as a couple for more than 18 years. This family has several strengths. It has managed to live a normal life, since the Nic and Jules have always supported each other and family members at all times.
This has helped in ensuring that Joni was able to qualify to go to college. This family does not have any suicidal risks. There is no evidence suggesting that one of the family members suffered from depression, which could make them suicidal. In addition, the family members do not face sexual or physical abuse. Nic and Jules love their children very much. Due to this fact, there is no possibility that they would abuse their children.
Paul, the biological father of both Joni and Laser, also loves his children and that is why he gives Joni a ride on his motorcycle. In addition, this is the main factor that exemplifies his love is his enjoyment of having dinner with the children. Safety and protection from risks is achieved by the fact that all the family members care for each other. It makes them value safety. This fact is evident from the situation when Nic and Jules have a heated argument, they do not turn to violence.
Instead, Nic suggests that they should have dinner in Paul’s apartment in order to cool the tension. Nic abuses red wine. Nic has personal strength since she is able to support her family as the primary breadwinner. Despite the fact that Jules does not have a job, she is able to do her chores as a housewife. Nic also has relationship strengths, since her physical support makes her perform well in her job as an obstetrician. Jules also offers physical support by landscaping Paul’s back garden.
No evidence exists in the movie showing that the clients had spiritual strength.Couple subsystem functioning assesses the rules that are considered while negotiating interpersonal distance and closeness. The internal boundary of Nic and Jules is that they like solving their problems by agreeing with each other. They agreed to go to Paul’s house in order to eliminate the tension that affected them. Their external boundary is that they do not allow people outside their matrimonial home to break their family.
When Paul suggests to Jules that she should leave Nic, Jules becomes disgusted since she respects her family. Nic also calls Paul an interloper because he wants to destroy their family. The problem interaction pattern of this couple is complementary. In a complementary pattern, each person takes an opposite or complementary role. Problematic complementary roles include pursuer/distancer, emotional/ logical and overfunctional/ underfunctional.
In the case of this couple, Jules feels that she always supports the career of Nic, despite the fact that Nic is not ready to support her career. The couples have blamer communication style considering Satir’s communication stances. This is because they first seemed to blame each other for the problems that they faced. Gottmann suggests that variables that can be applied to predict divorce are criticism, defensivenesss, contempt, stonewalling and ineffective repair attempts. The repair attempt of Nic was effective, since she was able to cool their argument by suggesting that they go to Paul’s house.
In addition, Jules refused the proposal of Paul that they should live together since she wanted to repair her relationship with Nic. Nic and Jules lived together proving that their parental subsystem was consistent with rules and consequences. The family lifecycle stage of this couple is in the period of families with adolescent children. This is the reason that made them refocus on their career life and marriage life. The hierarchy between child and parents of this family was both culturally and developmentally appropriate.
Due to this fact, their children do not have any behavioral problems. The couple also has clear emotional boundaries with their offspring. The interaction patterns between Nic and Jules and their kids do not have any problem. Their relationship was good. Triangles are not applicable in this case.
Systematic hypothesis can be used to solve the conflict between the couple in this movie. Applying positive connotation, both Jules and Nic can see the success that they have had in their marriage by raising two children.There is no evidence that this couple was affected by any substance or alcohol abuse. Although Nic is drinking red wine, it does not seem to be affecting her relationship with their children or Nic. In addition, no evidence exists that this family suffers from physical illnesses or mental disorders. This family also does not have historical incidents of the presenting problem.
Additionally, this family does not have any previous solution to the problem that affected them, since it is the first time that they are faced with this issue. No dominant discourse exists in this case.
