Strategic Therapy was inspired by Gregory Bateson and Milton Erickson In the 1950s, Gregory Bateson’s research on communication at Palo Alto was the accidental discovery of strategic therapy. Bateson’s work on double-blind communication influenced many therapists to begin to think of communication from a different view (Madanes, 1981) According to Bateson, families become trapped in dysfunctional patterns when they cling to solutions that don’t work (Haley, & Richeport-Haley, 2003). Madanes states that, “The approach suggests that the interchange of messages between people defines relationships, and these relationships are stabilized by homeostatic processes in the form of actions of family members within the family” (Madanes, 1981). The theory that emerged out of this different view of therapy focused on changing the family system by arranging that family members behave, or communicate, differently with one another (Madanes, 1981). Madanes suggests that is emerging theory did not focus on the past but instead focused on the present because the focus was placed on how to people communicated at the present time (Madanes, 1981). In the 1960s, directives were used by family therapist in the interview to change communication pathways, such as requiring people to talk together who had habitually not done so (Madanes, 1981). According to Madanes, directives were also given for outside the interview, particularly as a result of the influence of Milton’s Erickson’s directive therapy on the communication therapists (Madanes, 1981). Bateson and Erickson’s ideas came to be the foundation of strategic family therapy. In strategic family therapy, therapist set clear goals, which always include solving the presenting problem. Madanes b... ... middle of paper ... ...e team analyzes the family's reaction and plan for the next session (Niolon, Ph. D., 1999). Works Cited Haley, J. (2011). Jay Haley: the strategic therapist. Retrieved from http://www.jay-haley-on-therapy.com/html/strategic_therapy.html Strategic family therapy. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.allpsychologycareers.com/topics/strategic-family-therapy.html Niolon, Ph. D., Richard. (1999, December). Strategic family theory and therapy. Retrieved from http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/counseling/strategic.html Madanes, Cloe. (1981).Strategic family therapy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc. Haley, Jay, & Richeport-Haley, Madeleine. (2003). The art of strategic therapy. New York: Brunner-Routledge. Nichols, M.P. (2011). Strategic family therapy. In A.Dodge (5th Ed.), The Essentials of family therapy (pp. 97-121). Boston, MA: Pearson. (Nichols, 2011)
All of the family members were present for the sixth meeting including Janice, Leon, Beatrice, Kat, and Guy. The family was introduced to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). DBT was defined to the family and each family member was encouraged to practice using DBT skills in their daily lives. In addition the family was made aware of the benefits of using DBT. The family was in agreeance that the individual goals of Kat would be the focus of the session.
Almeida, R. V., Dolan-Del, V. K., & Parker, L. (2008). Transformative family therapy: Just families in a just society. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Gladding, S. T. (2010). Family therapy: History, theory, and practice (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
Nichols, M. P. (2010). Family therapy concepts and methods (9 ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Structural family therapist have exemplified within the context relational therapies that uncovers stressors in relationship between individuals (Vetere, 2001). Structural family therapy has been known to be called “interventive approach” because of the “intensity” to encourage clients to change (Hammond & Nichols, 2014).
In the industrial age before World War II, when individual psychotherapy was born and thrived, human beings were essentially seen as machines, with broken parts—including the mind—that could be repaired; after World War II, the dawning information technology age brought a paradigm shift in the view of human life from mechanical to relational, and communication and systems theories provided family therapy with increased validity and prominence. (White, 2009, pp. 200-201). The modern family systems theories that grew out of this paradigm viewed families narrowly as functional or dysfunctional according to the delineation of each theory. Today, postmodern theory suggests that no absolute truth governs individuals or families; instead, people are
The rapport and friendship built throughout this movie is vital to the success of the therapy exhibited here. This is a great example of Gestalt therapeutic approach and helps to identify most of the techniques incorporated. The techniques and ways of gently confronting but pushing a client all the way through are very beneficial to each viewer of this film.
Nichols, M. P. (2013). Bowen family systems therapy. In M. P. Nichols & R. C. Schwartz, Family therapy: Concepts and methods (10th ed., pp. 76-96). Boston: Allyn and Bacon
My theoretical approach to family therapy is very integrative as I believe families cannot be described nor treated from a single-school approach. I view humans through a humanistic and existential lens but am more technically structural and solution-based. With this integrative approach, I believe I will be the most effective in helping families grow and reach their goals.
Goldenberg, H. & Goldenberg, I. (2013). Family therapy: An overview (8th ed.). Belmont CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Cloe Madanes and Anthony Robbins formed the Robbins-Madanes Center for Strategic Intervention back in 2000. The goal was to assist in resolving issues with clients’ professional and personal lives by using social sciences and psychology. “Strategic intervention strives to address the needs of all members of a family, community, or business while providing therapy and other intervention services in a shorter period of time (Cloe Madanes Biography, 2013)”. Many different methods of therapy are used in interventions, such as, negotiation, conflict resolution, Ericksonian therapy, a...
The CBT theoretical formulation focuses on the whole family. “As behavior therapist shifted their attention from individuals to family relationships, they came to rely on Thibaut and Kelley’s theory of social exchange, according to which people strive to maximize rewards and minimize costs in relationships” (Nichols,
Gehart, D. (2014). Mastering competencies in family therapy: A practical guide to theories and clinical case documentation. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Experiential Family Therapy is a therapy that encourages patients to address subconscious issues through actions, and role playing. It is a treatment that is used for a group of people in order to determine the source of problem in the family (Gurman and Kniskern, 2014). Experiential Family Therapy has its strengths and weaknesses. One of the strengths of this therapy is that, it focuses on the present and patients are able to express their emotions on what is happening to them presently. The client will have time to share everything about his/her life experiences one on one without any fears. As a result, it helps the client in the healing process because, he/she is able to express their feelings freely and come out of the problem. Therefore, in this type of therapy, the clients are deeply involved in solving their issues. It helps clients to scrutinize their individual connections and to initiate a self-discovery through therapy, on how their relationships influence their current behaviors (Gurman and Kniskern, 2014). By examining their personal relationships through experiential family therapy, family members are able to
Nichols, M. P. (2011). The essentials of family therapy. Boston, Ma.: Allyn and Bacon. (Original work published 5th)