ABSTRACT
The therapist extended the transitional map to include Brian and Amy’s extended families, as well as that of the children’s father. If the therapist is open to engaging the extended system to its full capacity, a great deal of healing across the system becomes possible. An effective method for allowing patients and family’s access to their own competence is encouraging them to look for strengths and resources across the multigenerational extended family and the natural support system. In dealing with acquired Immunodefitiency syndrome (AIDS) families, the process of mapping the family and exploring the strengths and resources of the extended system raises several issues of particular importance. However the issues are presented, the AIDS patient’s significant others are inevitably involved. In AIDS there are important medical questions, such as the side effects of Azidothymidine and Dideoxyinosine that the entire team needs to take into consideration.
