1. CHAPTER 13: Strategic Family Therapies
Family Therapy: History, Theory, and Practice
6th Edition
Samuel T. Gladding
Developed by Nathaniel N. Ivers, Wake Forest University
© (2015, 2011, 2007) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

2. Overview Overview of Strategic Family Therapy
Influence of Milton Erickson
Major theorists
Premises of the theory
Techniques
Roles of the therapist
Processes and Outcomes
Uniqueness of the Therapy

3. Strategic Family Therapies
Strategic Family Therapies are method oriented and brief in duration.
Influenced by the work of Milton Erickson
Three distinct branches of strategic family therapy
The strategic family therapists of the mental research institute
The strategic family therapists of the Family Therapy Institute (Jay Haley)
The strategic family therapists of the Milan Institute

4. Strategic Family Therapy: Influence of Milton Erickson
The term, strategic therapy, was coined by Jay Haley to describe the work of Milton Erickson
Milton Erickson
Especially attuned to the power of the unconscious mind as a creative, often positive, solution-generating entity
Paid particular attention to details of the symptoms his clients presented

5. Milton Erickson Continued
Achieved his objected in therapy through the following procedures:
Accepting and emphasizing the positive
Using indirect and ambiguously worded directives
Encouraging or directing routine behaviors so that resistance is shown through change and not through normal and continuous actions

6. Major Strategic Theorists
Paul Watzlawick
John Weakland
Jay Haley
Cloé Madanes

7. Jay Haley Learned hypnosis from Erickson in 1953
Incorporated much of Erickson’s ideas into his own concepts about how to do therapy
First editor of the initial journal in the field of family therapy, Family Process.
Helped to organize the Institute for Family Counseling

8. Cloé Madanes Born and raised in Argentina
Gentler in her approach to strategic family therapy than Haley
Developed the pretend technique
One of her lasting contributions was in the areas of sex and violence

9. Premises of the Theory Follows many of Milton Erickson’s principles
Emphasize short-term treatment of about 10 sessions
“No one evaluates which solutions have so far been attempted for the patient’s problems” (Priebe & Pommerien, 1992, p. 433)

10. Premises of the Theory Concentrates on the following dimensions
Family rules
Family homeostasis
Quid pro quo
Redundancy principle
Punctuation
Symmetrical relationships and complementary relationships
Circular causality

11. Treatment Techniques Reframing Directive Nonverbal messages
Direct and indirect suggestions
Assigned behaviors
Paradox (similar to prescribing the symptom)
Restraining
Prescribing
Redefining

12. Treatment Techniques
Ordeals
Pretend
Positioning

13. Role of the Therapist
First task: Define a presenting problem so that it can be worked on and solved
Most are overtly active
Use presenting problems as a way to bring about change in families by giving the tasks that are usually carried out between sessions.

14. Process and Outcome
Goal: Resolve, remove, or ameliorate the problem on which the family agreed to work
Four common procedures for ensuring a successful outcome:
Define a problem clearly and concisely
Investigate all solutions previously tried
Define a clear and concrete change to be achieved
Formulate and implement a strategy for change (Watzlawick, 1978)
Focus of changing vicious cycles to virtuous ones

15. Unique Aspects Flexibility
Belief that real change is possible at the individual and dyadic level
Focus on innovation and creativity
The way it can be employed with a number of other therapies, particularly behavioral and structural family therapy