2. The first issue I would address with Mary Sue is the issue of the opinions of others that may be getting in her head. Mentally, I think her hearing statements asking what a 78-year-old is doing raising children again makes her question her own abilities. It is important that Mary Sue is assured that she is capable of caring for these children. These statements have obviously made an impact on her emotionally as well because she noted the fact that her friends think she is "crazy." That is something that could be extremely hurtful if that is how Mary Sue feels taking on caring for her grandchildren is being viewed by others. Psychologically, this life event is both challenging and rewarding for her. At her age it would be difficult to care for young children with high energy. It seems Mary Sue has a positive outlook on the situation and is even physically active.
The next issue I would address is the guilt Mary Sue feels from her past parenting. Emotionally, she is carrying a lot of guilt from how she may have been as a parent when she was younger. This has caused her to blame herself and question if her daughter's parental shortcomings are actually her fault. Mentally, this issue could take a toll on her because it is something that would be weighing in the back of her mind most of the time. This would not only cause her to question her past parenting but also her current parental role she is taking on. Psychologically, the mindset that she messed up with her daughter as a parent could end up translating into this new role she has assumed. It is important to address this issue with Mary Sue early in the counseling relationship so she can hopefully put it in the past and do her best with her grandchildren moving forward.
3. Genograms are especially useful to counselors when evaluating a family unit (Magnuson & Shaw, 2003). They reflect the family relationship through evaluation of interpersonal relationships, characteristics, and membership (Magnuson & Shaw, 2003). They also take a closer look at family patterns from generation to generation and serve as a "provisional blueprint for change." (Magnuson & Shaw, 2003). These are all beneficial to the counselor as they give them a clearer picture of who they are working with. By evaluating a family's previous life cycles and behaviors, the counselor can then place present issues in the family's evolutionary patterns (Magnuson & Shaw, 2003). The same concept applies for Mary Sue as well. By using a family genogram, she can get a better understanding of her family's patterns and therefore have greater knowledge of present issues (Magnuson & Shaw, 2003).
The counselor can use the genogram as a tool for questioning Mary Sue's present situation in relation to the themes, myths, rules, and emotionally charged issues of previous generations of family members. This will then reveal present issues and make them easier to understand (Magnuson & Shaw, 2003). Again, this also works to the benefit of Mary Sue, who may be able to reflect and come to conclusions of her own regarding the patterns of her family (Magnuson & Shaw, 2003).
Reference
Magnuson, S. & Shaw, H. (2003). Adaptations of the Multifaceted Genogram in Counseling, Training, and Supervision. The Family Journal of Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 11(1), 45-54. DOI: 0.1177/1066480702238472