Week 8. Family/System Approach
Counseling and
Psychotherapy Theory
Major Concepts and Propositions
Overview
Major Concepts and Propositions I
Major Concepts and Propositions II
Change Mechanisms & Intervention Methods
Moving from the Problem State to the Changed State
Strategies and Techniques
Theory’s Current State and Prospect
Current State and Prospect
Implications
Contents
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Overview
Main Assumptions
Characteristics by Subtype Approach
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Ⅰ. Major Concepts and Propositions
Individual counseling theories
Main Assumptions
Acknowledges that family affects an individual's well-being
However, the target of the intervention is the individual individual & family are changed
Family counseling
Acknowledges that family affects an individual's well-being.
But the intervention is on the family system individual & family are changed
‘Intervene in the family system’?
Main Assumptions
intervene in the family structure
• Hierarchy within family
• Boundaries between members
• Subsystems within family
‘Intervene in the family system’?
intervene in interactions
• Dual, triangular interaction style
A B
Main Assumptions
4 subtype approaches
Characteristics by Subtype Approach
Structural approach
Strategic approach
Experiential approach
Psychoanalytic multigenerational approach
Psychoanalytic multigenerational approach (M. Bowen)
Assumptions
• Parents' inappropriate nurturing style triggers problems • Dysfunctional interactions within the original family are transferred throughout
generations.
Problems Interventions
• Maladaptive defense mechanisms (not genuine interactions)
interaction between defense mechanisms • Parents function as good/bad objects • Triggers/worsens children’s splitting [ex] splitting, projective identification, various defensive interactions
• Understanding & insight • Preventing dysfunctional interaction • Insight on dysfunctional family
dynamics • Insight on multi-generational
dysfunctional family dynamics • Holding, containing • Integration of splitting
Characteristics by Subtype Approach
Structural approach (S. Minuchin)
Assumptions
family structure and system determines an individual's well-being
Problems Interventions
• inappropriate family structure and system
• family hierarchy, subsystems, within-family boundaries, within-family alliance, etc.
• modifying incorrect structures and systems
Characteristics by Subtype Approach
Strategic approach (J. Haley)
Assumptions
The purpose of every interaction within a family is acquisition of power
Problems Interventions
• Implicit strategy taken when making explicit efforts to acquire power and secure control within a relationship seems impossible
• Counterstrategy to disempower the implicit strategy
• Making the implicit strategy explicit
• Paradoxical intervention, etc.
Jay Haley
Characteristics by Subtype Approach
Experiential approach (V. Satir)
Assumptions
Family is a system that seeks to maintain balance and homeostasis
Problems Interventions
• Individual’s cost of maintaining balance and homeostasis
• Hinders individual’s growth
• Breaking the family’s balance and homeostasis that stayed as a symptom
• Recognizing and explicitly expressing/conveying individual’s inner experience
V. Satir
Characteristics by Subtype Approach
Problems Interventions
Communication pattern
Indirect, ambiguous Direct
Family rules Rigid, absolute Flexible
Family function Emotional shutdown,
defensive Emotional openness, not
defensive
Individual’s value
Neglect of positive self or value
Identify self worth
Characteristics by Subtype Approach
Experiential approach (V. Satir)
Major Concepts and Propositions I
Systems Theory Related
Family Genogram
Classical Concepts
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Ⅰ. Major Concepts and Propositions
Feedback loop
Systems Theory Related
an automatic control process where an input results in an output, which again affects the input.
Input Process Output …
Feedback
Feedback loop
Systems Theory Related
Positive Feedback Negative Feedback
• the output goes through the loop in the same direction as the initial input.
• Sharp increase in the nonlinear distortion
• the output goes through the loop in the opposite direction as the initial input.
• Decrease in the nonlinear distortion
• Microphone
• Arguments within family
• Thermostat
• Parent’s homeostatic function
Cyclical interaction
Systems Theory Related
Change in one member affects other member and the family as a whole, and such influence affects that one member again
Oppressive parent
Child’s defiance
Parent becomes more oppressive
Homeostasis
Systems Theory Related
Tendency of the system to stay in the original, familiar state and function Thus, systems tend to resist change.
A child’s behavior that is about to bring change to
the system
Parents’ control gets stronger due to the anxiety that the family system
might collapse
Family Genogram
Family Genogram
• Expresses family structure, relationship, dynamics
• Includes 3 generations
• Age, job, education level must be included
80 co unemp
(reporter)
85ms unemp
57hs housewife
55 co entrepre
neur
53gr professor
47gr doctor
50co doctor
24 stude
nt
27 co business
man
18 hs
59co unemp
83gr unemp (lawyer)
Ms: middle school grad Hs: high school grad Co: college grad Gr: graduate school grad Unemp: unemployed
Double bind
Classical Concepts
Two contradictory messages
No satisfactory conclusion either way
- A nonverbal message signaling ‘go away’
- A verbal message saying, ‘Come here. You need my love.’
- ‘You interpreted my message wrong’
Double bind
[Ex] A young man was recovering from schizophrenia
• Situation: His mother visited him at the hospital, and he was glad to see her. Mother appears tense, so he backs off.
Mother : ‘You don’t love me anymore.’
Son : (blushes)
Mother : ‘Son, you shouldn’t get so easily embarrassed or fearful of your emotions.’
Classical Concepts
Marital schism
Broken marital relationship
Marital skew
One spouse overwhelms the other in a marital relationship
Classical Concepts
Major Concepts and Propositions II
Multigenerational Approach Related
Structural Approach Related
Experiential Approach Related
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Ⅰ. Major Concepts and Propositions
Multigenerational Approach Related
• A state in which one has accepted that one’s thoughts, feelings, or language can be different from that of other family members.
• A state in which emotion and thought process are differentiated from each other within an individual buried in emotions
• When one cannot accept that one can be different from other members, one is restricted about what to think and feel.
• [Ex] A client who has difficulty making choices freely based on his thought and emotions
Self-differentiation
• Bringing in a third person in order to reduce a conflict, anxiety or tension between two other members within a family.
• Typically, a person with low self differentiation is taken in as the third person.
• [Ex] Mother who complains to her son after fighting with her husband
Triangulation
Multigenerational Approach Related
• Parents projecting their own stress to their children
• [Ex] A parent who gets angry at his child because of his own anxiety
Family projection
Multigenerational Approach Related
• When a child is overly stressed due to excessive meddling from family, she separates herself emotionally from the family
• [Ex] A son who never visits his parents
Emotional cut-off
Multigenerational Approach Related
Structural Approach Related
The spousal subsystem or sibling subsystem within a family system
Are sometimes formed based on emotional proximity
[Ex ] - Parent/child system
- Father/daughter vs. mother/son subsystem
Family subsystems
Structural Approach Related
Boundaries are set between members or between subsystems
Boundaries are established through certain rules regarding information influx shared by individuals or subsystems or rules regarding participation.
Boundary
Clear boundary ___ . . ___ . . ___ . . ___
Diffuse boundary ……………………………
Rigid boundary ____________________
Alliance/Over-involvement
=================
Structural Approach Related
Two people teaming up against a third member
Coalition
• Stable coalition
• Detouring coalition
• Triangulation
• Cross-generational coalition
Experiential Approach Related
Internalized behaviors, attitudes, relationship responses that were experienced among family members
[Ex] Taboo topics within the family
Family rules
Experiential Approach Related
Communication
• Every interaction people use to exchange messages including implications and symbols
• Reveals the relationship level of the interactions as well as individual characteristics
Experiential Approach Related
Communication
Communication types
Placater Blamer Computer Distractor Leveler
Experiential Approach Related
Communication
Placater
• Conveys to others that one is not so important by denying oneself
• Tries to please others
Blamer • Self-centered, self-righteous, dominant, and slighting others
• Aggressive, controlling, easily angered
Computer
• Cool-headed; regards being rational, objective, and logical important
• Self and others don’t matter; logic and situation are considered important
Experiential Approach Related
Communication
Distractor
• The opposite of the ‘computer’ type
• Talks and acts inappropriately to particular topic or situation
• Interferes with deep communication
Leveler
• Internal emotions and thoughts are consistent with what are externally expressed
• Sensitively aware of and expresses one’s own thoughts, emotions, and desires
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ⅠI. Change Mechanisms & Intervention Methods
Moving from the Problem State
to the Changed State
Problem State vs. Changed State
Change Facilitating Factor
Approach type Problem state Changed state
Psychoanalytic multi-
generational
• Maladaptive dynamics repeated within and between generations
• Dysfunctional dynamics or defense mechanisms incapacitated
Structural • Inappropriate family structure,
system • Appropriate family structure,
system
Strategic
• Implicit strategies for exercising power and control are fixated and are shown through different symptoms
• Explicit strategies and clear communication
Experiential
• Pursuing family balance to the point of blocking individual members' experiences and communication
• A new dimension of family balance that reflects individual members’ experiences and communication
Problem State vs. Changed State
Change Facilitating Factor
Approach type Change Facilitating Factor
Psychoanalytic multi-
generational
• Gaining awareness/insight into maladaptive dynamics and defense mechanisms within and between generations
• Contacting internal experiences
• Choosing new method
• Practicing and solidifying new behavioral style
Structural
• Gaining awareness/insight into inappropriate family structure
• Modifying into appropriate, functional family structure
• Choosing new method
• Familiarizing with the new structure
Approach type Change Facilitating Factor
Strategic
• Weakening the implicit strategies through explicit communication
• Taking root in clear communication
Experiential
• Becoming aware of private experiences that had been blocked
• Directly communicating about experiences
• Taking risks and choosing direct communication
• Practicing and familiarizing with direct communication
Change Facilitating Factor
Recognizing inappropriate family
structure
• Recognizing defense mechanisms
• Recognizing cross-generational patterns
Awareness, understanding,
insight
Recognizing implicit strategies
• Recognizing that personal experiences are blocked for family balance
• Recognizing individual member’s experiences
Change Facilitating Factor
Reenact/practice/solidify behavioral style within
an appropriate structure
Reenact/practice/solidify a new behavioral style
Reenact/ practice/ solidify
Reenact/practice/solidify direct/explicit
communication method
Solidify behavioral style that
expresses personal experiences
Change Facilitating Factor
Strategies and Techniques
Overview
Specific Strategies and Techniques
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ⅠI. Change Mechanisms & Intervention Methods
Overview
Purpose of techniques and strategies
Bringing about change in an individual through transforming family structure and within-family communication
Approach type Change in the individual
dimension Change in the family
dimension
Psychoanalytic multi-
generational
• Insight into individual’s inner dynamics and structure
• Insight into family dynamics and structure • Insight into repeated patterns across generations
Structural • Insight into individual’s inner dynamics and structure and modifying them
• Awareness/insight into inappropriate family structure and modifying it
Overview
Purpose of techniques and strategies
Bringing about change in an individual through transforming family structure and within-family communication
Approach type
Change in the individual dimension
Change in the family dimension
Strategic • Change in the individual through explicit communication (not symptoms)
•Change in the communication within through explicit communication (not symptoms)
Experiential
• Change in the individual through awareness and communication of personal experiences
•Moving to a new level of family balance through awareness and communication of personal experiences
Specific Strategies and Techniques
Psychoanalytic multigenerational approach
Explain and interpret (family genogram)
Empathize and hold
Contain
Structural approach
Changing boundaries
• Rearrange seating
• Empower
• Reconstruct the way family members agree or make alliances
Specific Strategies and Techniques
Strategic approach
Instructing
Paradoxical intervention
Ordeal therapy
[Ex] instruct a child to use honorifics (in Korean) to her parents.
[Ex] tell the father to become more demanding to the son who has run away from home
[Ex] tell a client with insomnia to wipe the floor instead of trying to sleep
Specific Strategies and Techniques
Strategic approach
Restructuring
Exaggerating
Metaphorical task
[Ex] label anorexia not as a disorder but as stubbornness
[Ex] tell a child who frequently throws a fit to act like a Hulk in front of his mother.
[Ex] When a client has a hard time talking about sexual issues, ask her to metaphorically talk in terms of eating food.
Specific Strategies and Techniques
Experiential approach
Family sculpting
Role play Family picture
Specific Strategies and Techniques
Current State and Prospect
Current State and Prospect
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ⅠII. Theory’s Current State and Prospect
Mix of various value systems
- from familyism to individualism
- from paternalism to gender equality
- values of men and women are in conflict family problems are increasing
Characteristics of Korean families
Current State and Prospect
Adequate individuation between parent and child is difficult
From extended families to nuclear families.
Indirect and nonverbal communication method
- Children are still thought to be face-savers for parents.
Characteristics of Korean families
- Both cultures and value systems coexist.
- Indirectness or nonverbal communication due to hierarchies
- Expressing emotions is not valued; it’s indirectly done.
Current State and Prospect
International marriages
between a Korean and a foreigner are reported to be 7% or 10%.
Increasing multicultural families
Foreign women Foreign men
China, Vietnam, Philippines
China, Japan, U.S.A.
Current State and Prospect
Inflow of North Korean defectors
Currently, about 28,000 North Korean defectors live in Korea.
Similar language and looks, but culturally different.
Increasing multicultural families
Current State and Prospect
Implications
Create insight/understanding/narrative : dynamics, patterns
- Ex: “I now realize that our family had such and such dynamics and patterns. This is why I felt so suffocated.
Recognize/contact/familiarize : needs, emotions
- Ex: Getting in contact with the needs and emotions within the family and getting used to them
Intervening in family systems, structures, and interactions
Choose: new behavior
- Ex : Taking the risk of trying out a new behavior
Practice/solidify: thoughts, behaviors
- Ex : having honest conversations; engaging in interactions without using symptoms or being defensive
Intervening in family systems, structures, and interactions
Implications
THANK YOU
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