Final Blog - J Sol

This is my final blog. Looking back I have learned a lot from this course and think this may be the most applicable material I have experienced so far in college. This class provided some great insight into the family system and how it works as an ever evolving organism. Something the class has really brought to light is the diversity in families, more importantly the diversity of interaction in families. I think too often the general public is enamored with the nuclear family, and not reallly noticing or appreaching diversity in the family structure. Overall, this has been a great class and a great learning experience for me as a student. I know that material I have learned will benefit my future and I'm glad I took this course.

ktho blog

I really enjoyed this class, I liked learning about relationships and the way people communicate and function. I think it really helped me look at understand my own family and relationships. It also changed my view on adoption, I wasnt ever opposed to it, but it was something that I didnt think I would ever consider. I really liked the way that Dr. Hollist taught, he didnt lecture at us, he involved us in the topics, which I think really helps people to focus. But now I have to go finish studying for the final!!!

jspl blog

Looking back at everything we have learned throughout this course, I can say that I feel better prepared for future relationships. I have learned it is not about what a couple fights about, but rather how they fight. If a couple focuses too much on the contents of the fights it can be hard to move on from the fight and sore subjects can be brought up again and again. The final lecture helped put in perspective that one day we are going to have to use the information that we learned to help others. This course taught me that relationships and families are a lot of work and the processes may not come naturally to everyone. There are many parenting styles that a person can choose from and some people don't always make the right decision.

Final/extra credit blog tspies

The last class went outside of the normal family process information to begin to teach us how to apply our knowledge in the professional world. Application is just one of the six levels of learning: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. I have always wanted to go into the professional counseling world; however, it is not always easy to go past the process or structure and dig deep into the content and function. It is automatic human response to be judgmental, questioning, or to even throw in personal experience, but when dealing with clients they have NO interest in your relationship with your family they want solutions to their issues. It is also a female response to be affiliative and connective. The best way to begin to practice in understanding/helping others is to begin with friends. Take time to be an active listener and try to help them work through their issues the best you can.

Blog #14 Kste

I agree that when I began this course I didn't see how different things affected family. I feel that I have learned a lot about families and how they function, Whether they function because of Socioeconomic status, age, abuse, etc. It is surprising to learn this stuff because I come from a small town and I haven't always learned about the different ways others function. In small towns everybody knows everyone and we are all typically the same, such as where people work. Learning about different families and their jobs, cultures, etc. has been very interesting to me. I feel this course will help me in my career because it will help me to understand others.

Last class

Before starting this course I had know idea that working with families is such a complex process.  Our last class together really showed that in order to effectivley help families there are many skills you have to have as a professional.  There are also many concepts we need to know before actually working with families.  The other idea that our last class stressed was we need to be very careful when responding to what people tell you.  There are many types of responses that could either offend or make the individual feel pressured.  We need to remember how to actually listen and understand a person.  Another point that Dr. Hollist brought up that I think is very important to remember when working with families is, as professionals we need to understand why someone is doing something or acting a certain way even if we do not agree with it.  You have to understand a person or the family in order to help them.

Final

Our very last class seemed to make all of the different things we talked about this entire semester come together. Some of the things were common sense, but then again some people know exactly what to do, but don't do it. Everyone knows that listening is a main part of communication, but it also might be one of the hardest. People need to not just listen, but to active listen. Active listening to me is like when people yell at others to "listen hard". Most people know how to communicate effectively, they just don't do it in the end, they get too wrapped up in what they are fighting about, even though in this class we learned, it's not what you fight about it's the process. Also our understanding of the situtation is another big one to learn to work with. You really need to understand where the other person is coming from so when you do active listen it all goes together as in how that person was trying to tell you in the first place. I just think all of the responses that families will use and go through, and all the effects that we have learned will come in handy. If families start to communicate more when they are having problems, and they do follow what we are teaching them they will end up happier in the end.