MC Master of Counseling: Family and Couples Counseling 4

Question 1

In Strategic Family Therapy (Haley), 'prescribing the symptom' is a paradoxical intervention designed to:

Accepted Answer

Reduce resistance by instructing the client to intentionally engage in the problematic behavior

Answer

Prescribing the symptom is a paradoxical directive where the therapist instructs clients to intentionally perform the symptom, reducing resistance and giving the therapist control over when the behavior occurs.

Question 2

A same-sex couple reports experiencing minority stress that is affecting their relationship. A culturally competent counselor should FIRST:

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge the external stressors of stigma and discrimination as valid contributors to relationship distress

Answer

Culturally competent practice requires the counselor to validate that minority stress from external stigma and discrimination is a real systemic stressor that legitimately impacts relationship functioning.

Question 3

Intergenerational trauma in families is BEST addressed through which therapeutic lens?

Accepted Answer

Bowenian and contextual family therapy exploring multigenerational patterns

Answer

Bowenian and contextual family therapy approaches are specifically designed to identify and interrupt the transmission of trauma and relational patterns across generations.

Question 4

When a client discloses ongoing intimate partner violence (IPV) during a couples session, the counselor's IMMEDIATE priority should be:

Accepted Answer

Assessing the immediate safety of the victim and considering individual safety planning

Answer

Safety of the victim is the first priority when IPV is disclosed; joint couples therapy is contraindicated when active violence is present, and individual safety planning must occur first.

Question 5

The concept of 'circular causality' in systemic family therapy suggests that:

Accepted Answer

Behaviors in families are mutually influencing in recursive feedback loops

Answer

Circular causality replaces linear cause-and-effect thinking with the understanding that each family member's behavior is both a cause and an effect within recursive interactional loops.

MC - Master of Counseling Practice Test

MC - Master of Counseling Practice Test

MC Master of Counseling: Family and Couples Counseling 4