STRATEGIC FAMILY THERAPY

STORMY TROTTER-LLOYD & JANE ROSSERCOUN 7080 Spring 2014

Strategic Family Therapy

Roots in structural family therapy

Builds on concepts from communication theory

Haley called the therapy ‘Strategic’ because:

"it is a therapy where the therapist initiates what happens during therapy,

designs a specific approach for each person's presenting problem, and

where the therapist takes responsibility for directly influencing people."

http://www.mri.org/strategic_family_therapy.html

LEADING FIGURES

Palo Alto Group 1960-70’s Brief Family Therapy /Mental Research Institute (MRI)

Don Jackson, Gregory Bateson, John Weakland, Paul Watzlawick (family communication)

Strategic Family Therapy Institute 1980’s Jay Haley & Cloe Madanes (directive & challenging)

Milan Systemic Model Mara Selvini-Palazzoli (

COMMUNICATION THEORY

How VERBAL and NONVERBAL messages are exchanged

PROCESS between people in a SYSTEM vs. inner conflicts

WHAT rather than WHY

Communication PATTERNS vs. content

Faulty communication patterns = family DYSFUNCTION

INTERPERSONAL NATURE OF COMMUNICATION

All behavior is communication Communication happens at many levels Every communication has a content(report) &

a relationship(command) aspect Relationships are defined by command messages Complementary interactive patterns = oppositional -

create superior/inferior relationships Symmetrical interactive pattern = equality – can

become competitive Each person punctuates a sequence of

events in different ways organizing theirview of cause and effect

IP symptoms

Family attempts to address “problem” behavior

Actions become a pattern

Pattern reinforces IP behaviors

Focus

Circular Patterns

Solutions become part of the problem …

Contradictions between what is said and what is

expressed…

Repeating non-workable

solutions …

Breakdown in family functions …

Breakdown in rules and roles…

… reorganize the system

to a different level of

functioning …

… break the

repetitive and

negative cycle…

… disrupt repetitive

interactive

sequences that lead

to conflict …

… change the

way they deal

with one

another…

What does Strategic Family Therapy look like?

Active BriefDirectiveTherapist Centered Task Oriented

Define the problemIdentify attempted solutionsDetermine the position of the clientDesigning an interventionSelling the client on the interventionAssigning homeworkDoing a homework follow-upTerminating

Latino Brief Therapy Center (Schlanger & Anger-Diaz (1999)

KEY CONCEPTS

DOUBLE BIND – Conflicting messages – can’t win situations

THERAPEUTIC DOUBLE BIND (COUNTER PARADOXES) – Technique to force a person/couple/family into a no-lose situation

PARADOXICAL INJUNCTIONS – Contradictions between what is said and what is expressed in tone or gesture

PRESCRIBING THE SYMPTOM – prescribe the very behavior to be resolved. The therapist helps the client understand this need and determine how much control they have over the symptom. This can help them change or stop it.

RELABELING (POSITIVE CONNOTATION) – Changing the label attached to a person or problem from negative to positive. In altering the meaning, the emotional and conceptual context, the situation can be perceived differently, and hopefully new responses will evolve.

PARADOXICAL DIRECTIVES – Direct client to continue or extend the behavior. Non-confrontational – undermines resistance – ties in to patients own momentum

KEY CONCEPTS

SECOND ORDER CHANGES – changes to the systemic interaction pattern so the system is reorganized and functions more effectively

FAULTY FAMILY SOLUTIONS1) Ignoring a problem when action is needed2) Taking action when it is unnecessary 3) Action taken at the wrong level i.e. first order changes when the problem

is at a second order level

FIRST ORDER CHANGES – superficial behavioral changes within a system that do not change the structure of the system

FAMILY HOMEOSTASIS – families tend to preserve familiar organization and communication patterns – resistant to change

DIRECTIVES - ChallengingProvoke – rebel or resistOrdeal Therapy – undesirable task – more difficult for the client to have the problem than give it up

KEY CONCEPTS

CIRCULAR QUESTIONING – focusing on family connections rather than individual family members to address family differences

REFLEXIVE QUESTIONING (Tomm – social constructionist/narrative)Help families reflect on perceptions, actions, & belief systems – meaning of their life patternsTypes of Questions:

Future oriented questions Observer - perspectiveUnexpected counterchange Embedded suggestionNormative- comparison Distinction-clarifyingQuestions introducing hypotheses Process interrupting

NEUTRALITY - Remain allied with all family members – avoid coalitions or alliances

HYPOTHESIZING – interactive process of speculating = determine how the family is organized around the problem

PRETEND TECHNIQUES – Encourage family members to ‘pretend’ – playfulness and fantasy – shift context – encourage voluntary control of behavior

Robbins, M. S., Szapocznik, J., & United States. (2000). Brief strategic family therapy.

Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention.

Want to read more …. there are some great resources on line that illustrate the theory and applications…………