Systems Thinking
- individuals can only be understood within their social context. Context-less is meaningless
finish card
Different Schools of Systemic Therapies
- strategic (Jay Haley)
- structural (Salvador Minuchin)
- multigenerational/Bowenian family therapy
- Satir Model
- Evidence-based family therapies
- Multi-systemic Family Therapy
(Systems Therapy) Assumes problematic behaviors may…
- Serve a function or purpose for the family
- Be unintentionally maintained by family processes
- Be a function of the family’s inability to operate productively - especially during important transitions; or
- A symptom of dysfunctional patterns handed down across generations.
Bowenian therapy evolved from
psychoanalytic principles
Murray was renowned for ________ ?
His innovative approach to treatment of schizophrenia - hospitalized entire families (so the entire family could be the focus of treatment)
Explain the Bowenian theory of pathology
- emotional problems arise when people are unable to adequately differentiate themselves from their families of origin
Describe fusion
In Bowenian theory, fusion is when individual choices are set aside in service of achieving harmony in the system
- Fused families result in an undifferentiated family ego mass, or “emotional oneness”
What does fusion result in?
Fusion between units of the system creates tension, and must have a release.
- the rejected/hurt party will attempt to triangulate another for support
Describe triangulation and the state of calm/state of tension
Triangulation hinders differentiation - the person is “needed” to maintain a stable system
- State of calm: 2 insiders + outsider (mother-child, and outsider father); favoured position is insider. When tension builds for outsider, predictable move is to triangle with an insider, leaving the other as an outsider.
- State of tension: outsider position is preferred “you two fight it out.” In a state of high stress, family will try to triangulate with more outsiders (counsellors, police)
Most people choose “emotional cut-off” to deal with triangles
The 3 goals of Bowenian therapy
- Understand one’s family of origin from an intergenerational perspective
- To differentiate self within the system
- To de-triangulate the family
Bowenian Theory of Change
Problems will not significantly change until family relationship patterns are understood and directly challenged
Bowenian interventions
- genograms
- observations rather interpretations to aid in client differentiation
- responsible “I” - learning to assume responsibility for one’s own experiences.
What is the problem in strategic therapy?
Problems/symptoms serve as acts of communication to regulate system functioning
Role of symptoms in strategic therapy
Symptoms maintain homeostasis and also provide information to the system (positive or negative feedback)
- is the symptom asking for change or stability in the system?
- the symptom bearer is looking for a way to have a voice in the system
- symptoms are considered in light of system needs.
Strategic Therapy techniques
1) Reframing
- positive connotations
- changing the narrative
2) Directives
- direct
- indirect (paradoxical)
3) Restraining
- therapist becomes the agent to
