Abstract
What is filial therapy? Does it help the Hispanic cultural overcome barriers? How important is the interrelationship between the parents and the child? How important is trust among the Hispanic cultural? Does the Hispanic cultural involve the whole family into their family circle? In the filial therapy we will discover that the Hispanic cultural place an importance of "togetherness" among all of the family members. The Hispanic cultural also emphasizes the importance of "familismo, respecto, personalismo, and confianza.
Filial therapy is a different method for treating troubled children in which the parent is used as a supporter in the therapeutic process. Filial therapy is an integrated model of treatment based on the principles of client-centered therapy. Filial therapy was developed by Bernard Guerney (1964), it is a structure of management that values the parent-child relationship through teaching the parent(s) basic client-centered, play-therapy skills. According to the article Hispanics are considered "A nation at risk"- one of the largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States. Indicators in the Unites States show Hispanics have a high rate of teenage pregnancy, school dropouts, and many other cultural short comings. The growing population of being poor, undereducated and under skilled is on the rise. This trend will alter socioeconomics and academic achievement. The alarm throughout the country will be the focus of intervention in the area of mental health services as an early intervention with Hispanic children. In schools, Hispanics children represent 35% of the population. The No Child Left Behind act was implemented to target the achievement of minority students and their peers. Services to address at risk student such as mental health, social and personality needs have been identified but not enough have been done to intervene in these areas. The process of Filial Therapy is an appropriate theory to train parents to intervene with their own children. This therapy is taught to parents to provide skills, feelings, self esteem and structure the life of children. This therapy is thought to instill in children to create warm relationships with their parents, desires, feelings, and help the children overcome their struggles. The filial therapy is a particular way to train parents to give their children an easier way to incorporate into society and can play an important part in the individual. The cycle of Hispanics and poverty will continue to exist because there is a need for "prevention and intervention strategies to address psychosocial and behavior issues of a growing population identified as at risk." The nature of the filial therapy is to educate the counselor of the cultural sensitivity of the Hispanic in regards to; "familismo, respecto, personalismo and confianza." Therefore, it is with great emphasis that the counselor understands the importance of the Hispanic cultural. Hispanic families involved all of the family members. Without a doubt, "filial therapy" is regarded as the Therapy for Hispanic since Hispanic rely more and "family closure".
My Reflection
Filial Therapy seems to be gear toward child-center therapy. Filial Therapy is a philosophically principle that has helped many diverse families from two parents families, single parents, foster parents, incarcerated mothers, fathers, different nationalities, same-sex families and parents that have exceptionally children at home. The results of filial therapy are a positive effort for both parent and child. It is geared as a child-center therapy with no judgment on the child's feelings, desires or being criticize for their efforts in the play. The child is taught to express their feelings without being outcast, or being humiliated. Hispanic family are a great motivator for the filial therapy since there cultural does not allowed others to question authority, and express their feelings appropriately. The Hispanic family is geared into teaching the child respect, family, personality, and confidence. The Hispanic cultural encourages their children to honor, respect and have good manners, for authority and the elderly. It is commonly known that the Hispanic cultural have a strong sense of duty towards helping other family members in time of need. Therefore, filial therapy is a good therapeutic effort in teaching Hispanics on how to interact with their children in a positive way without criticizing their children for the lack of expressing themselves in front of them, since children are taught not to answer back or to "curb their tongue when told to do something". According to filial therapy it is a progress that the parents are taught a series of techniques to interact with the children in a nurturing, and unjudgemental setting to help them become more closely knit. Consequently, filial therapy is a good indicator that Hispanics can truly interact with their children without losing respect in allowing their children to express themselves in a productive way of showing them their independence.
