Jack C. Wall

Children Who Have Witnessed Community Homicide: Incorporating Risk and Resilience in Clinical Work

New research and theory on developmental risk and resiliency in childhood are presented and are applied to clinical practice with children who have witnessed violence. This material expands the mental-health services with this population by contextualizing the phenomenon and incorporating a strengths perspective in clinical interventions.

Communities under fire: Empowering families and children in the aftermath of homicide

This article presents an empowerment approach to clinical services for families and children surviving homicides. Narrative theory is used to integrate child, family and community interventions. The article presents a framework for the examination of narratives and guidelines for co-constructing narratives that empower children, families and communities.

Maintaining the connection: Parenting as a noncustodial father

The purpose of this study was to identify relevant factors associated with the noncustodial fathers frequency of contact with his child following divorce. The findings of the research revealed that a combination of demographic, personal characteristics, and psychosocial factors are related to the fathers frequency of contact with the child.

A Conceptual Framework for Differential Use of Mediation and Family Therapy Interventions With Older Adults and Their Families

The purpose of this article is to present a family-centered approach to working with older adults. This framework utilizes a differential use of family therapy and therapeutic mediation theoretical concepts and skills. This provides an effective approach to conceptualizing and intervening with these often complex situations regarding the decision-making processes related to care of older members. Family-centered mediators/clinicians must be skilled in both models to understand and intervene in the challenging issues presented by families. A case example is included in the article to illustrate the framework.

Voices of Three Generations: Families and the Declining Health of Older Adults

The declining health of an older family member impacts family members in many ways. This article describes the effects of coping with the needs of older members among three generations. The systemic effects result in challenges to each generation along physical, psychological, and social dimensions. Discussion focuses on the experiences of the respective generations as they each attempt to voice their needs and negotiate their individual and interpersonal development in the context of the older persons’ decline. Multiple theories and intervention strategies, including developmental, narrative, and family systems, will be applied to case material. Helping families to articulate the stress, renegotiate the issues of care, and reframing old patterns of behavior may be crucial to assisting families navigate through this time of life.

Ignatian spirituality: The spiritual exercises and social work

Abstract A group of social work faculty and students and university ministry staff participated in an intensive twenty‐four week program of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. Following this experience, two reflection groups were conducted to assess the impact of these spiritual experiences on individuals’ social work practice and teaching.