Family Systems Therapy

*Family Systems therapy is represented by a variety of theories and approaches, all of which focus on the same relational aspects of human problems.

Alfred Alder - 1st Psychologist of Modern Era to do Family Therapy

(1870 - 1937)

Murray Bowen - Original Developers of Mainstream Family Therapy

(1913 - 1990)

Virginia Satir - Developer of Conjoint Family Therapy

*(A human validation process model that emphasizes communication & emotional experiences.)

(1916 - 1988)

Carl Whitaker - Creator of Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy

(1912 - 1995)

Salvador Minuchin - Developed Structural Family Therapy

(b. 1921)

Jay Haley - Founded the Washington School of Strategic Family Therapy

(1923 - 2007)

Cloe` Madanes- Contributed to the Development of Brief, Solution-Oriented Therapy Approach

* (The strategic interventions most used were reframing, family directives, & paradoxical interventions.)

(b. 1941)

Goals:

• To help family members gain awareness of patterns of relationships that are not working well.

• To create new ways of interacting.

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

Key Concepts :

• Focus is on communication patterns within a family, both verbal & nonverbal.

• Problems in relationships are likely to be passed on from generation to generation.

• Differentiation

• Triangles

• Power Coalitions

• Family-of-origin Dynamics

• Functional vs. Dysfunctional Interaction Patterns

• Dealing with Here-and-Now Interactions

• The present is more important than exploring past experiences.

  
  

  
  

   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  Theories:

  • The family is viewed from an interactive & systematic perspective.

  • Clients are connected to a living system; a change in one part of the system will result in a change in other parts.

  • The family provides the context for understanding how individuals function in a relationship to others & how they behave.

  • Treatment deals with the family unit. An individual's dysfunctional behavior grows out of the interactional unit of the family & out of larger systems as well.

     

     

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    Other Techniques:

    • Techniques may be experimental, cognitive, or behavioral in nature.

    • Genograms

    • Teaching

    • Asking Questions

    • Joining the Family

    • Tracking Sequences

    • Issuing Directives

    • Use of Countertransference

    • Family Mapping

    • Reframing

    • Restructuring

    • Enactments

    • Setting Boundaries  

       

       

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      Family Therapy

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      References:

      
      

      • Corey, G. (2013)..Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th ed.,). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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