Paper Sample on Tsakanes: A Family Struggling with Health and Relationships

Introduction

The incidents that can be highlighted in this case relates to the Tsakane family setup and their relations in the linage. It is clear that the family is experiencing difficulties, considering that many people in this linage have health problems. Their situations are making their conditions worse, considering that for the case involving the persons that are performing well health-wise, their families are in disarray. At the top of the genogram are the Mother Rose Tsakane and Father Tlolo, who are not doing better either. The woman is ailing from hypertension, and depression, and matters are made worse by the fact that she is low on self-esteem, and the issue of unemployment makes life harder for she cannot manage to easier get the basics in life.

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The father is abusive and is also suffering from diabetes type 2 and hypertension. Therefore, these ailments are likely to be passed over to the next generation genetically as it has happened with Rose. Her mother was suffering from dementia, and there is a likelihood of some of the factors causing dementia getting carried over to Rose genetically. The dysfunctionality of families is having adverse effects on the ability to raise a strong family setting. Most of the times, the way that children are raised tends to have a significant effect on their adulthood as in the case involving Rose. She was raised by a single mother, and when she gets married to Tlolo, they get children, but these young ones are taken to live with their grandmother for unexplainable reasons.

The family of origin covers the siblings that an individual grows with or a social group that a person is taken to be part of in their life. The biological family plays a significant role in the way that people view themselves, the other person in society, and the world in general. The family setting has an effect on the way that an individual functions in their daily lives and how they cope with the various issues happening in their livelihood (Goldenberg & Goldenberg, 2012). When looking at the family as a system in the South African context, it is critical to check the way that culture, biological, and social kinships are playing out and the class to have a better understanding of the way that things are happening in a family.

Looking at the case involving Rose, her parents divorced when she was at the age of 30, and this is made worse by the fact that she is unable to sustain a good livelihood, considering that when she gets children, she is unable to build a home with her husband. Their children are taken to their grandparents, which should not be happening in a normal situation. Children should grow with their parents and learn from them on matters about life. The family of origin is the one that trains an individual the way to communicate and emotion processing. The values that they learn from their families of birth are highly likely to be portrayed in their current settings. Considering that a family is considered as a system, it is clear to note that abject poverty is affecting this lineage with the parents in the upper parts of the genogram experiencing cases of inability to meet their basic needs. These issues are passed over to the children and their offspring, and it is worrying to note that the woman has been given the responsibility of taking care of the three children despite being poor and suffering from dementia.

Three Generational Genogram

The first generation in this genogram is that of Rose and Tlolo’s parents. The situation prevailing in this first generation is that Rose’s mother is Ameka, who is living in abject poverty and suffering from dementia. It is worrying that Rose and Tlolo’s children are left under her care despite the difficulties she is experiencing. Rose’s father cannot be traced after divorcing her mother when Rose was 30 years, and the inability to sustain a marriage is depicted in Rose’s case as she is unable to run her family effectively. Leaving her children to be raised by their grandparents is not a sign of responsible parenthood, considering that Rose and the husband are not suffering from an ailment that may deem them incapacitated and unable to look after their offspring.

Tlolo’s parents is claimed that they died due to diabetes, and the problem is passed over to their child, and the situation is not any better for the second generation in this genogram. Rose and Tlolo are suffering from various ailments that are making it challenging to leading a normal life. There is a possibility that they may have passed these diseases to their three children genetically. The third generation is the children that are living with their grandmother. The key issues that are affecting the Tsakane family are disease and high poverty levels that are making it challenging to seek for medical attention. Despite Amake practicing the traditional healing processes, her profession has not managed to provide a desirable response to the various diseases that are affecting her lineage.

Wholeness

The concept of wholeness plays a critical role in facilitating an understanding of the way that a system is operating. A system, in this case, is a set of units that has a consistent relationship, as it can be noted that all the persons in this genogram are connected together. The system elements are interacting with each other in an organized way for the parents are connected to their children by blood and others by family relations. The combination of these elements leads to the concept of wholeness. Therefore, when learning about the Tsakane family, all the person highlighted in the genogram must be mentioned and their position in the linage.

Family Pattern

Family patterns cover the relationship that exists among members of a given family. Some of the family systems in this genogram can be termed as pathogenic, for they are portraying negative family attitudes that lead to behavioral disorders and mental anguish. Such issues are noted in the case involving Rose’s parents that after the divorce, the father cannot be traced by the children after the separation. When Rose gets married, she gets children, but instead of raising them, she takes them to their grandmother. Poverty and diseases are affecting these children, and it is clear that these problems are causing mental disorders as Rose’s mother has dementia, and Rose is experiencing hypertension and depression. The family rules describe the ability of a family system to alter its patterns helping in discarding the inappropriate patterns. In the case of the Tsakane family, the rules are rigid, and the family does not seem to be adaptable and accessible to some prevailing changes.

Main System and Subsystems

The main system, in this case, is the lineage that is highlighted in the Genogram. The Tsakane family setup is the main thing, and it is supported by various sub-systems. The small groups within this linage are the subsystems, and they are determined by the relationships that exists between the 2-3 people that are in a sub-group. For example, the three children have a social relationship, and they are in their subsystem. The relationship between Rose and Tlolo is that of wife and husband, and this may be regarded as another subsystem. Every system has its features and rules that govern the connection among the members.

Hierarchies and Boundaries

Boundaries can be closed or open, considering that every pattern has its way of including and excluding various elements to ensure that everyone clearly understands what should be within and outside their reach. A closed boundary system does not allow things from outside to influence the system, and an open one is affected by what is happening outside it. The family system, in this case, cannot be entirely closed or open for the various members of a given subsystems can share details with other sub-systems. The family hierarchy is headed by Ameka and Tlolo’s parents, with the three children holding the lowest position in this genogram.

There is no element that has hindered the interaction process among the various persons in this family unit, considering that the three children can manage to interact with their parents and the grandparent. The lesson learned when handling this exercise is the effect of family origin in the life of a person. For a counselor, when handling issues of a client, there is a need to understand family history to have a basis upon which to manage a problem that is affecting their clients. In this case, Rose is suffering from depression, and a counselor will need to know what is causing the issue so that a lasting solution can be obtained.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Tsakane family is experiencing various issues that range from poverty and illness, for most of the members in this family unit are suffering. After undertaking this exercise, it is possible to understand the importance of the family of origin in various issues. It plays a critical role in the way that a person behaves and understands issues in life. Counselors should first seek family history details when they are attending to their clients, for this is the better way to understanding the reasons behind the problems that are affecting them for treatment purposes.

References

Goldenberg, H., & Goldenberg, I. (2012). Family therapy: An overview. Cengage learning.