Barbara Peo Early

The healing magic of myth: Allegorical tales and the treatment of children of divorce

Children of divorce experience a sense of loss of the intact family which had stabilized their lives. Painful thoughts and feelings may result in defensive resistance of treatment techniques which deal too directly with their situation. This paper explores the use of allegorical tales in the treatment of children of divorced parents. It contrasts the use of such tales with traditional bibliotherapy and with Gardners (1971) Mutual Story Telling, suggesting that myth and metaphor provide a road around resistance by presenting a cognitive bridge between themes common in the stories and the life experiences of the child of divorce.

Opportunity and risks in emerging family policy: An analysis of family preservation legislation

Abstract The Family Preservation and Support Services legislation present both opportunity and risks for the emerging family policy. The opportunity is in the funding for the States to conduct needs assessments and thorough plans to address the problems facing families. The risks are due to lack of strong specific guidelines for establishing family preservation programs. This article gives a brief overview of the legislation, analyzes the legislation and provides suggestions.

The needs and supportive networks of the dying: An assessment instrument and mapping procedure for hospice patients

If institutional systems that provide end-of-life care are to survive the demands of managed care, they will need to tie together methods of assessing the needs of the dying, leading to a new understanding of the functioning of a patient’s existing helping networks. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a research project conducted at a Midwest hospice. The study utilized a cross sectional correlational survey of patients’ needs via the Early Risk and Resiliency Inventory (ERRI), while mapping their helping networks with a Circles of Care Ecomap. It addressed the question, “What is the relationship between the needs of the dying and the formal and informal support provided?” Study findings supported the contention that higher need patients utilized the more expensive institutional services rather than relying on available natural networks; and statistical analysis of the study instrument suggested the creation of a new conceptual domain of psychospiritual need.