1. Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Family Systems Therapy

2. Transparency 1 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (1) The Family Systems Perspective Individuals – are best understood through assessing the interactions within an entire family Symptoms – are viewed as an expression of dysfunction within the family Problematic behaviors –  Serve a purpose for the family  Are a function of the family’s inability to operate productively  Are symptomatic patterns handed down across generations A family  is an interactional unit  change in one member effects all members

3. Transparency 2 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Approaches to Family Therapy Adler:  First psychologist to do family therapy; Rudolph Dreikurs Multigenerational Family Therapy: Bowen  Evolved from psychodynamic approaches  Applied to schizophrenia –hospitalize entire families  Focuses on patterns across generations Human Validation Process Model: Satir  Also known as conjoint family therapy  Importance of connections and therapeutic relationship

4. Transparency 3 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Approaches to Family Therapy Experiential – Carl Whitaker, Satir  Application of existential therapy  Emphasis of therapist involvement with family Structural-Strategic – Salvador Minuchin/Jay Haley  Emphasize interaction patterns in the family including alliances among members  Not much emphasis on the past  Structural – symptoms indicators of deeper problems  Strategic – symptoms are both the problem to treat and metaphor of family functioning

5. Transparency 4 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Adlerian Family Therapy Adlerians use an educational model to counsel families Emphasis is on family atmosphere and family constellation Therapists function as collaborators who seek to join the family Parent interviews yield hunches about the purposes underlying children’s misbehavior Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (2)

6. Transparency 5 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Adlerian Family Therapy Therapy Goals Unlock mistaken goals and interactional patterns Engage parents in a learning experience and a collaborative assessment Emphasis is on the family’s motivational patterns Main aim is to initiate a reorientation of the family Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (3)

7. Transparency 6 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Multigenerational Family Therapy/Bowen Patterns of behaviors and communication occur across generations  A family can be best understood from a three generation perspective Differentiation of the self  A psychological separation from others in the family is a life-long process  Separation while keeping a sense of belonging is necessary for personal growth and effective communication Triangulation  A third party is recruited to reduce anxiety and stabilize a couples’ relationship (typically a child) Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (4)

8. Transparency 7 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Multigenerational Family Therapy Therapy Goals To change the individuals within the context of the system To end generation-to-generation transmission of problems by resolving emotional attachments To lessen anxiety and relieve symptoms To increase the individual member’s level of differentiation Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (5)

9. Transparency 8 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Human Validation Process Model Therapy Goals Open communications  Individuals are allowed to honestly report their perceptions  Members act differently in the presence of other members Enhancement of self-esteem  Family decisions are based on individual needs Encouragement of growth  Differences are acknowledged and seen as opportunities for growth Transform extreme rules into useful and functional rules  Families have many spoken and unspoken rules Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (7)

10. Transparency 9 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Experiential Family Therapy A freewheeling, intuitive, sometimes outrageous approach aiming to:  Unmask pretense, create new meaning, and liberate family members to be themselves Techniques are secondary to the therapeutic relationship Pragmatic and atheoretical Interventions create turmoil and intensify what is going on here and now in the family Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (8)

11. Transparency 10 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Experiential Family Therapy Therapy Goals Facilitate individual autonomy and a sense of belonging in the family Help individuals achieve more intimacy by increasing their awareness and their experiencing Encourage members to be themselves by freely expressing what they are thinking and feeling Support spontaneity, creativity, the ability to play, and the willingness to be “crazy” in order to empower members (not take themselves too seriously Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (9)

12. Transparency 11 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Structural Family Therapy Developed by Minuchin working with families with illnesses Focus is on family interactions to understand the structure, or organization of the family Symptoms are a by-product of structural failings  Disengaged families- rigid boundaries, lack of warmth/affection  Enmeshed families – diffuse boundaries, appear supportive but thwart autonomy and independence Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (10)

13. Transparency 12 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Structural Family Therapy Structural changes must occur in a family before an individual’s symptoms can be reduced Techniques are active, directive, and well thought- out Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (10)

14. Transparency 13 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Structural Family Therapy Therapy Goals Reduce symptoms of dysfunction Bring about structural change by:  Modifying the family’s transactional rules  Developing more appropriate boundaries  Creation of an effective hierarchical structure It is assumed that faulty family structures have: – Boundaries that are rigid or diffuse – Subsystems that have inappropriate tasks and functions Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (11)

15. Transparency 14 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Strategic Family Therapy Focuses on solving problems in the present Presenting problems are accepted as “real” and not a symptom of system dysfunction Therapy is brief, process-focused, and solution- oriented The therapist designs strategies for change Change results when the family follows the therapist’s directions & change transactions Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (12)

16. Transparency 15 Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole is an imprint of the Wadsworth Group, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Strategic Family Therapy Therapy Goals Resolve presenting problems by focusing on behavioral sequences Get people to behave differently Shift the family organization so that the presenting problem is no longer functional Move the family toward the appropriate stage of family development  Problems often arise during the transition from one developmental stage to the next Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 14 (13 )