FAMILY TALK: AN EXPLANATION OF FAMILY SYSTEMS THEORY IN PODCAST FORM

Abstract

For my Honors thesis, I chose to do something that is a bit more unique. I researched, wrote, and produced a podcast called Family Talk. Family talk aims to bridge the gap between academia and everyday people by educating the public on Family Systems theory. Family Systems theory proposes that the family is dynamic and interconnected, and that events that happen within and without the family impact the whole system.The first episode is about Family Systems Theory and how it is useful for understanding families. The second episode is about boundaries and communication in the family, the third episode is about mental health diagnoses in the family, and the final episode is about nontraditional family forms. Each episode defines Family Systems Theory concepts, overviews a case study, and then gives recommendations for improving family functioning. My goal was to make this something that would be accessible to families and as well as for professors to distribute to their students.