How do Symptoms Develop?
Symptoms develop to alleviate problems. Therefore it contributes to the maintenance of the problem and often exacerbates it.
- Family get stuck in positive feedback loop.
- Problem arises out of ordinary life.
Goals of Therapy
-To break repetitive, negatively self perpetuating cycle.
-Change system’s structure or function, creating 2nd order change.
-1st order change is only a cosmetic fix and unlikely to last.
Identify and change the rules that maintain the problem.
More: In Practice-
1) Identify more of the same, positive feedback loops that maintain the problem.
2) identify the rules that support these interactions
3) Find a way to change the rules
Interventions
Degree of “stuckness” dictates type of intervention.
- Prescribing the symptom (encourage the increase of the amount of the symptom)
- Relabeling (Reframing the problem as not a problem, describe the protective function).
- Out posting (exaggerate a worse thing that could happen).
- Restraining (Discourage them from changing to quickly to encourage quick change. Make them think they can’t do it so they will be motivated to prove you wrong).
Brief Therapy- Symptom Development
Symptoms Develop by:
1) Family denies that problem exists. Action is necessary, but not taken.
2) Family solution is an effort to solve something that isn’t really a problem.
3) Action is taken on wrong level.
Brief Therapy-Goals and therapist role.
Resolve the presenting problem. Therapist is responsible for change in the system
Brief Therapy- In practice
No insistence on who must attend, all those who are motivated to change should attend.
- Expectancy for change in a short amount of time ex: 10 sessions.
- Satisfied with minor changes that establish a trend in the right direction.
