Experiential : Experiential Family Therapy

The first session we met we discussed the purpose of family therapy introducing the concept to see it was something they may find beneficial to them. Understanding how family therapy works and interacts is the key objectives of therapists; they should be healers, concerned with engaging with the family therapeutically, around issues that cause problems whilst remaining respect. This means to join families and experience the reality whilst becoming involved in the interaction which form the family structure and the way they think and behave (Minuchin and Fisherman 1981). Information was given about structural family therapy and how this may be beneficial for family A. Mrs A was given information on how Family therapy can play an

Experiential family therapy (EFT) was first developed in the 1960’s by physician and psychotherapy pioneer Carl Whitaker and is aimed at helping individual family members feel fulfilled and self-actualized within the family unit by means of improving cooperation and intimacy among family members. Unlike other schools of family therapy, EFT does not focus on the perceived problems of individual family members but examines how family interactions and communications cause problems for the individual family members. It is important to remember that, due to the level of interpersonal involvement needed in this style of therapy it requires every family member involved to fully participate in the process. For optimum effectiveness, the family should already be relatively stable.</p> Whitaker’s approach to EFT is known as the symbolic-experiential model. This model emphasizes immediate, here-and-now experiences rather than the introspective methods of earlier theories and promotes emotional expression as a medium of shared experience and as a means of both personal and family fulfillment. Symbolic-experiential family therapy is predicated on the existential idea that there is a great deal more to a family’s dynamics and existence than is empirically observable; unconscious dynamics, histories of shared and individual experiences, secrets, etc. This model attempts to integrate two different aspects of human experience; experience and “symbols.” Experience is what is taken in

This term paper is about solution-focused therapy and experiential therapy. In solution-focused therapy, the therapy does not emphasize the problem at all; it stresses and highlights the solution. The client is the expert and not the therapist. The experiential approach is often used to facilitate meaningful changes in individuals. SFBT is a short-term goal focused therapeutic approach which directs clients to focus on developing solutions, rather than on dwelling on problems. The theoretical framework, how change occurs, therapeutic techniques, postmodern perspective, the role of the therapist and some clinical examples are given in this term paper.

Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy employed to assist members of a family in improving communication systems, conflict resolution, and to help the family to deal with certain problems that manifest in the behavior of members. In most cases, deviance in a family member is an indication of underlying family dysfunctions. This paper looks the counselling procedure that can be applied to help the Kline family solve their problems. It answers certain questions including those of the expected challenges during therapy and ways of dealing with the challenges.

When we are speaking about Carl Whitaker (1988) and his Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy, we can say he was against labeling of the individual´s existence problems by a simple behavior, cognition, or following a specific psychology model. Luepnitz (2002) express he went further when he emphasized that psychopathology was only a distraction from the real-existential problems faced by most of the families. Whitaker was called as an innovator when he introduced his controversial therapy, but was also extensively criticized. His therapy focus in “present-centeredness” and open clients dealing with their family problems, how they perpetuate their past problems, and how perceived and communicated when playing the role of coach.

Experiential family theory is about the experiences that a family goes through in therapy and what it symbolizes to them. Experiential family theory is also well known as symbolic experiential family theory because the theory is about what the family takes out of the experience and what they use to describe their family. According to Smith (1998), the founder, Carl Whitaker, felt that it was the therapist’s responsibility to create these experiences in the sessions to help the family grow. Carl Whitaker accomplished this with impulse and creativity. He understood the family unit and knew that families could be cruel, but he believed the family had the ability to restore their family unit (Percy, 1990). The theory is not a traditional one,

My first assumption of family therapy was to involve the parents and the individual that had the problem. This book explored further what it

Susan is an 11 year old Latina/ Caucasian female who currently has been referred due many issues inside and outside the home. Susan is a victim of sexual abuse by her father. Susan is being put in adult situations of caring extensively for younger siblings, caring for the mother, and being a partner for the alcoholic father. Susan witnesses a great deal of violent behavior between her parents. The violence leads to the father becoming sexual with Susan. He looks to her for consoling and support. As a result, Susan is experiencing feelings of depression to the extent where she has attempted suicide and she reports that she cuts herself with safety pins when she witnesses her parents fighting. Susan has not learned appropriate interaction cues and due to the violent nature in the household,

This paper evaluates the Structural Family Therapy model and its impact on the Emotionally Focused Therapy by Sue Johnson. This paper will discuss the concepts of therapy utilized within the Structural Family Therapy model and how Sue Johnson utilized many of its methods when constructing Emotionally Focused Therapy model. The history of family therapy will be evaluated and the goals of family therapy. Research has proven that due to these clinical practices, families and couples are allowed to evolved issues in which they face into healthy relationships by evaluating patterns in behaviors and past events in their lives. Therapy focuses on the correction of the dysfunctional family as a cohesive unit and does not place focus on the individual. Therefore we find the psychotherapy as a family unit deems to be more effective than previous practices of an isolated session with only the patient and therapist.

Chapter One: In this chapter talks about the history of many decades where the different therapist is treating family members separated from the family and eventually when one member of the family sought help and got better another one seems to be affected. These different observations lead to begging the family therapy movement (Nichols, M. 2017).

Experiential Interventions. Experiential therapy does not like to define itself by interventions. However, there are several recognized techniques in the therapy. Satir and Whitaker used their own communication skills to conduct therapy. Satir would encourage physical touch with the clients, showing strength and comfort. Carl Whitaker would use his sense of self to interact authentically within the system to influence change. Some techniques that are used often:

Becvar, D. & Becvar R. (2009). Family therapy: a systemic integration. (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Gladding, S. T. (2010). Family therapy: History, theory, and practice (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.

Family is something that plays a tremendous role in our life. Even though the structure of families has changed over the years, it is important to acknowledge that there many families out there whether they are traditional families, nuclear family, stepfamilies or others which tend to have different types of problems in their families. Therefore, many families attempt to go to family therapy in order for them to obtain help in solving the different types of issues they might have at home. As stated in the book Family Therapy by Michael P. Nichols (2013), “The power of family therapy derives from bringing parents and children together to transform their interaction… What keeps people stuck in their inability to see their own participation in the problems that plague them. With eyes fixed firmly on what recalcitrant others are doing, it’s hard for most people to see the patterns that bind them together. The family therapist’s job is to give them a wake-up call” (2013).

More specifically, Freud traces the roots of all adult behaviors back to childhood impulses and showed how conflicts related to the development of sexuality in childhood subsequently results in psychopathology or neuroses. (Good & Beitman)