Case Scenario: Taylor
Taylor is 11 years old; she is funny and loves to play soccer; she has recently moved to a rural community after living her entire life in an urban setting. Recently, a classmate of Taylor’s showed their father a TikTok video that Taylor made about wanting to harm herself. The father contacted Taylor’s mother, Jo, as he was alarmed by the content of the video.
Taylor will not discuss the video with anyone, and her mother is very worried about her. Jo believed Taylor was transitioning well in their new environment. Jo knew it would be hard for the family to adapt at first but figured everything would work out once they were settled. Taylors’s older brother, Blake, is adapting well to high school and has easily made friends.
Since coming to this new school (and community) Taylor has been the target of racial bullying. Not a day does not go by without some form of microaggression occurring or blatant comments being made. Taylor is the only person of colour in her class. Taylor’s teacher is aware that she is not fitting in but has done little to make the classroom a welcoming place for her, the teacher sees this as ‘kids being kids … they’ll figure it out’, Taylor’s teacher did intervene once when she heard swearing occurring in the classroom, however all of the children were reprimanded.
Taylor did share with her mother that the teacher has said things like “you need to be more friendly if you want to make friends,” and “it will take time for you to find things in common with the other girls”. On top of the current bullying about her appearance, Taylor is also worried that the kids at her school will also find out that her mom is in a same-sex relationship. Taylor has begun to experience cyberbullying and one of the photo’s that has been circulating that makes fun of Taylor also has her mom and her mom’s partner Sam in it. Taylor is now afraid that her classmates will find out about this and it will add to the bullying she is already enduring. Taylor has not shared any of the bullying with her family. Living in this community is not a short-term plan for the family as Jo was hired into a permanent and high-profile position and Sam works from home so she is able to work anywhere. Taylor is very proud of her mom’s accomplishments and her new position. Sam has been in Taylor’s life since she was 5, they have a very close parent-child relationship. Taylor does wish she could spend more time with Blake especially now that they live in a small rural community. Overall, Taylor feels as though she does not belong in this community and is finding it unbearable and feels very lost.
After getting the call from the classmate’s father about the video, Jo has called you (the family therapist) to provide counselling for Taylor, however as a family therapist you have asked to see the whole family. Due to her concern for Taylor’s wellbeing, Jo agrees to your approach.
Task:
D) Family Therapy Application, demonstrate the application of the chosen therapy to the case study scenario: I)
B) How does this therapy understand/conceptualize/view the family’s presenting issue?
