Interpersonal Approaches to Psychotherapy

Chapter 10

The Case of Linda

28-year-old divorced Hispanic female

Complains of:Feeling “unhappy”

Confusion related to sexual orientation

Unresolved grief related to death of her mother

Turbulent interpersonal relationships

Basic Philosophy

Neutral view of humans

Constructivist

Basic Philosophy

Focused on human interactionsThe “self” is social, interpersonal, &

transactionalSocial behaviors are a function of

predisposition and environmentCircular causalityCommunication includes verbal &

nonverbal content

Human Motivation

Survival by adapting to the environment

Confirmation of a solid view of “self”

Central Constructs

Levels of CommunicationContent Level

Relationship Level

MetacommunicationVerbal

Nonverbal

Relationship Definition

Central Constructs

Dimensions of InteractionInteractive Theorists

Control

Circular TheoristsControl

Affiliation

Central Constructs

ComplementarityInteractive Theorists

ComplementarySymmetricalMetacomplementary

Circular TheoristsComplementaryAnticomplementaryAcomplementary

Central Constructs

Impact MessagesDirect feelings

Action tendencies

Perceived evoking messages

Fantasies

Central Constructs

Laws of InteractionPast interactions are replicated in

present and future interactions

Attempts to change a relationship will stimulate efforts to reestablish it

Control of others is gained through yielding control to others

Theory of the Person

Majority of theorists do not discuss developmental issues

People carry relationship templatesCreated from our past interactions

Influence how we define relationships with others

Theory of the Person

Psychological HealthAble to display a range of interpersonal

behavior

Content & relationship messages are congruent

Able to display dominant, submissive, friendly, and hostile behaviors when appropriate

Theory of the Person

Psychological DysfunctionNarrow range of interpersonal behavior

Intense effects on others

Confirms ideas of others

Lots of misperception

Messages are incongruent

Behaviors are not reciprocal

Nature of Therapy

Assessment

InteractionalCounselor observes client-counselor

interaction

Counselor is interested in ways that the client relates to others in his or her life outside of counseling

Nature of Therapy

AssessmentCircular

Counselor’s

perception of client’s overt behavior

covert reaction to client’s behavior

Client’s

perception of counselor’s overt behavior

covert reaction to counselor’s behavior

Nature of Therapy

InteractionalBriefDirectiveTherapist “takes control”

of the relationship & dysfunctional behavior

Client “gives up” dysfunctional behavior because it becomes useless

CircularTherapist is the expert

who will diagnose and treat the client

Therapist “buys” the client’s version of the problem

Client defines relationship

Nature of Therapy

Goals of TherapyClient learn new behaviors

Client responds in a less extreme way to other people’s behaviors in interpersonal interactions

Client stops doing “more of the same”

Process of Therapy

Interactive ApproachTherapist is always one-up and client is

one-down

Focus is on the control dimension of the interaction

No stage theory

Process of Therapy

Circular ApproachStage Theory

Provide the complementary response

Decrease the complementary response

Client rejoins therapist in a healthier complementary relationship

Therapeutic Techniques

Asocial ResponsesDelay response

Reflection of content and feeling

Paradigmatic responding

Noncomplementary responding

Metacommunication

Ordeal TherapyStraightforward task

Paradoxical ordeals

Make the therapist the ordeal

Ordeals that involve 2 or more persons

Evaluation

QualitiesPrecision

Testability

Empirical validity

Research SupportOutcome research

Theory-testing research

Issues of Individual and Cultural Diversity

ProsEmphasis on the

interconnectedness of human life

ConsFocused on individual’s

inter-personal behavior

Individualistic

“Therapist knows what’s best”