Define your family system.

The first step in the continuum of intervention is assessment. This assignment is designed to develop an understanding of a framework for resiliency practice. Following the outline below, complete an trauma-informed assessment of the resiliency factors for yourself and your family of origin. No one knows better than you the factors that shape success as well as the stresses that may inhibit it.

In summary:

Define your family system. This definition should be supplemented by a graphic representation (i.e. genogram, culturagram, eco-map)
Describe and discuss the key processes of family resilience: Belief Systems, Organizational Patterns, Communication Processes as they apply to yourself and your family. Use Walsh, Chapters 1-6.
Identify current stressors for yourself and your family. Discuss the individual, interpersonal, environmental and community risk factors, including any social, economic and political injustices.
Describe and discuss the current status of the protective mechanisms utilized by yourself and your family. As above, discuss individual, interpersonal, environmental and community protective factors including any social, economic and political supports.
Discuss the impact of race, class, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation and differing personal abilities upon family resilience, stressors and protective mechanisms.
Reflect on your experience in conducting an assessment on yourself. How would you deal with these feelings in your trauma-informed work with families?