Family Systems Therapy Dr. Alfred Adler Dr. Murray Bowen Dr. Virginia Satir Dr. Carl Whitaker Dr. Salvador Minuchin Dr. Jay Haley Dr. Cloe’ Madanes (Haley)
Basic Assumption Serve a purpose for the family Conflict Be a function of the family’s inability to operate productively The Cause Be handed down across generations
Primary Goal of Therapy To bring about change in the family system, which is assumed to produce change in the individual members of that family unit…
Adlerian Family Therapy Basic Assumption: Both parents and children become stuck in repetitive negative interactions, which become motivators for the type of behavior displayed by the entire family… EX: Arguing, Tobacco & Alcohol Use, Trouble with authority, etc…
Family Power & Authority Decision Maker F F Decision Maker P 2 P 1 2 3 1 2 3 TYPICAL DYSFUNCTIONAL
Role of Therapist The role of the therapist is that of a “Collaborator” who actually seeks to join the family unit…
Goals of Adlerian Family Therapy Unlock mistaken goals and interactional patterns Engage parents in a learning experience and joint assessment Of the family Place emphasis on the family’s motivational patterns What makes them tick To initiate a reorientation of the family Teach them new ways
Multi-Generational Family Therapy: Murray Bowen Bowen the original developer of mainstream family therapy A family can be best understood when it is analyzed from at least a three-generational perspective…
Basic Concept of Differentiation of Self & Triangulation The psychological separation of intellect and emotion and independence of self from others Triangulation Eliciting the support of a third party to lessen emotional tension between other family members Central To Therapy Model
Multi-Generational Goals To change the individuals within the system To end generation-to-generation transmission of problems by resolving emotional attachment To lessen anxiety and relieve symptoms To increase the individual member’s level of differentiation
Human Validation Process Model: Virginia Satir The model is called: “Con-Joint Family Therapy” Her approach emphasizes: Communication Emotional Experiencing And, stresses the involvement of the therapist with a family
Validation Process Enhancement and validation of self-esteem Family Rules Congruence and openness in communication Sculpting Nurturing Triads Family Mapping and Chronologies
Goals of Conjoint Therapy Open Communication Individuals are allowed to honestly report their perceptions Enhancement of Self-Esteem Family decisions are based on individual needs Encouragement of Growth Differences are acknowledged Transforming extreme rules into useful and functional rules Families have many spoken and unspoken rules
Experiential Family Therapy: Carl Whitaker This approach stresses: Choice Freedom Self-Determination Growth Self-Actualization
Therapist Emphasis Unmask pretense, create new meaning, and liberate family members Techniques are secondary Creates family turmoil
Phases of Family Therapy Engagement Involvement Disentanglement
Goals of Experiential Family Therapy Individual autonomy Achieve more intimacy Encourage free expression Promote spontaneity, creativity, the ability to play, and the willingness to be “Crazy”
Structural Family Therapy: Salvador Minuchin An approach to understanding the nature of the family, the presenting problem, and the process of change… An approach that stresses action over insight…
Family Structure Basic Family Family Sub-Systems Spousal sub-system Mother/father sub-system Sibling sub-system Extended family sub-system
Strategic Family Therapy: Jay Haley Focus is on solving problems in the present Therapy is brief Therapist designs strategies Change results when family follows therapist directions
Goals of Therapy Resolve presenting problem Change Behavior Shift family organization Move family toward an appropriate stage of development