Family Systems Theory
Family Systems Overview
Karen L. Nelson
MFCC/556 Family Systems Theory
October 27, 2014
Peter Nazaretian
Family Systems Overview
Family Systems theory was a marked twist on the scientific idea of General systems theory. In General Systems theory, a breakthrough in science, it was deduced that an organism did not stand alone, rather was subject to other organisms that it interacted with and that it was multifaceted. This knowledge when applied to therapy brought for the idea of a holistic approach to allow for a better understanding when it came to the complexities of the evolving individual client. Therapists began to investigate how the interactions and relationships between family members affected the individual (Net Industries, …show more content…
2014).
There were several pioneers in this development and application of Family Systems theory, and in this paper I will go over three that I found to be most influential. I will also discuss the several ways that this new evolution of therapy has changed over the years as it has been practiced, including the evolution of assumptions between individual psychology and family systems theory.
The first pioneer Nathan Ackerman was born in 1908 and died in 1971. He was known for developing the concept of family psychology and for his consistent advocacy for the acceptance and use of family therapy. Ackerman started by seeing clients and their families together in a group for counseling sessions. He believed that the psychological or physical disposition of one member of the family could greatly influence that of the other members of the family. Ackerman felt that treating the family as a whole was the best way to treat an individual. His experience led him to the understanding that although families may present a unified front, they were often competing with one another and/or have underlying resentments that affect the individual as well as the family unit. Ackerman came to believe that the family unit is the smallest form of existence. He became emotionally involved with his clients, by challenging avoidance and dishonesty he was known for “tickling their defenses” (Broderick, 1982).
Another fan of bringing emotions into the therapy room; Carl Whitaker thought it was necessary to coax, tease and confront the clients, to induce a state of stress while in the counseling session. He would start by working with a client then bring in one family member, then another until he had the total picture of how the client interacted and lived among his family members. Whitaker was known for the fact that he wouldn’t make any real plans with his sessions; rather he let the session run as it played out. He would say he let his “unconscious” run therapy. In his work Whitaker discovered that the therapist was the most important “tool” in therapy and that an understanding of intuition, spontaneity, transference and countertransference is crucial to the therapeutic process. Carl Whitaker was born in 1912 and died in 1995. Whitaker was also influential in co-therapy. He would often work alongside his wife, also a therapist in group sessions (Broderick, 1982) .
Virginia Satir a teacher to the therapists lived from 1916 to1988.
Feeling ill equipped for the clients and from her own experiences she began to develop her own, new approaches to therapy. Satir then began to teach those techniques and approaches, many are used readily today; two common techniues are sculpting and reframing. Satir is sometimes called the “Columbus of Family Therapy,” she developed the Satir Growth Model which helps support positive change in therapy. Satir believed that communication, emotional expression and warmth and acceptance were imperative to therapeutic process. She connected with families by finding the positives within the negative. She believed that family members were often so immersed in constricting family roles that they were held back from becoming all they could be, her goal was to teach them how to prosper in spite of those roles (Broderick, 1982) …show more content…
. Contrasting the assumptions of individual psychology and family systems theory could be used by example of Freud and Adler.
Freud believed in that personalities were divided into sections, where Adler said that those parts were not divided, rather worked together as a whole (Placeholder2). This example is similar to the comparison of the individual client not being autonomous, rather a part of a family unit. While Freud would look at specific experiences of the individual and relate them to specific issues, Adler understood that you must take a holistic look at the person and how they are structured, even finding a fluid stream between the unconscious mind and conscious mind (Mitchell, 2014).
The traditional definition of family included a mom, dad and their offspring. It would often include family such as aunts, uncles and grandparents as well. The nuclear family in terms for therapy would include the two parents and the offspring. Today’s family has evolved to include not only adoption, but rather any person that is “considered” to be family. Often times a blood or non-blood person may live with or be woven into the family unit, they would not be dismissed, and they would be considered a member of the family in
therapy.
Many changes have occurred in how family units are viewed since the emersion of Family Systems theory, and due to the evolving acceptance of society. Marriage, once a union that was to be held on to no matter the circumstance has evolved and changed, not only the roles of the wife and husband but also the union itself. There are now places that observe same sex marriages. Divorce has also changed, once frowned upon and looked at a failure, divorcees are able to hold their heads up and not be ashamed for their choice to end their marriage. There are even counseling services provided for pre- divorce as well as post-divorce for couples, and their families. Blended families have also become more acceptable and common in society. The family systems theory has made it possible to treat family members holistically and allow them to better understand their families (whatever their makeup) and their roles within those families.
References
Inside-the-mind. (2014, July 25). Retrieved from How Stuffworks: http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/sleep1.htm
Broderick, C. B. (1982). The history of professional marriage adn family Therapy. In G. &. Kniskern, Handbook of Family Therapy (pp. 24-25). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Mitchell, G. (2014, October 25). Alfred Adler & Adlerian Individual Psychology. Retrieved from Mind Development: htt://www.mind-development.eu/adler.html
Net Industries. (2014, October 25). Family Systems Theory-Basic Concepts. Retrieved from Net Industries: http://family.jrank.org/pages/599/Family-Systems-Theory.html
Karen L. Nelson
MFCC/556 Family Systems Theory
October 27, 2014
Peter Nazaretian
Family Systems Overview
Family Systems theory was a marked twist on the scientific idea of General systems theory. In General Systems theory, a breakthrough in science, it was deduced that an organism did not stand alone, rather was subject to other organisms that it interacted with and that it was multifaceted. This knowledge when applied to therapy brought for the idea of a holistic approach to allow for a better understanding when it came to the complexities of the evolving individual client. Therapists began to investigate how the interactions and relationships between family members affected the individual (Net Industries, …show more content…
2014).
There were several pioneers in this development and application of Family Systems theory, and in this paper I will go over three that I found to be most influential. I will also discuss the several ways that this new evolution of therapy has changed over the years as it has been practiced, including the evolution of assumptions between individual psychology and family systems theory.
The first pioneer Nathan Ackerman was born in 1908 and died in 1971. He was known for developing the concept of family psychology and for his consistent advocacy for the acceptance and use of family therapy. Ackerman started by seeing clients and their families together in a group for counseling sessions. He believed that the psychological or physical disposition of one member of the family could greatly influence that of the other members of the family. Ackerman felt that treating the family as a whole was the best way to treat an individual. His experience led him to the understanding that although families may present a unified front, they were often competing with one another and/or have underlying resentments that affect the individual as well as the family unit. Ackerman came to believe that the family unit is the smallest form of existence. He became emotionally involved with his clients, by challenging avoidance and dishonesty he was known for “tickling their defenses” (Broderick, 1982).
Another fan of bringing emotions into the therapy room; Carl Whitaker thought it was necessary to coax, tease and confront the clients, to induce a state of stress while in the counseling session. He would start by working with a client then bring in one family member, then another until he had the total picture of how the client interacted and lived among his family members. Whitaker was known for the fact that he wouldn’t make any real plans with his sessions; rather he let the session run as it played out. He would say he let his “unconscious” run therapy. In his work Whitaker discovered that the therapist was the most important “tool” in therapy and that an understanding of intuition, spontaneity, transference and countertransference is crucial to the therapeutic process. Carl Whitaker was born in 1912 and died in 1995. Whitaker was also influential in co-therapy. He would often work alongside his wife, also a therapist in group sessions (Broderick, 1982) .
Virginia Satir a teacher to the therapists lived from 1916 to1988.
Feeling ill equipped for the clients and from her own experiences she began to develop her own, new approaches to therapy. Satir then began to teach those techniques and approaches, many are used readily today; two common techniues are sculpting and reframing. Satir is sometimes called the “Columbus of Family Therapy,” she developed the Satir Growth Model which helps support positive change in therapy. Satir believed that communication, emotional expression and warmth and acceptance were imperative to therapeutic process. She connected with families by finding the positives within the negative. She believed that family members were often so immersed in constricting family roles that they were held back from becoming all they could be, her goal was to teach them how to prosper in spite of those roles (Broderick, 1982) …show more content…
. Contrasting the assumptions of individual psychology and family systems theory could be used by example of Freud and Adler.
Freud believed in that personalities were divided into sections, where Adler said that those parts were not divided, rather worked together as a whole (Placeholder2). This example is similar to the comparison of the individual client not being autonomous, rather a part of a family unit. While Freud would look at specific experiences of the individual and relate them to specific issues, Adler understood that you must take a holistic look at the person and how they are structured, even finding a fluid stream between the unconscious mind and conscious mind (Mitchell, 2014).
The traditional definition of family included a mom, dad and their offspring. It would often include family such as aunts, uncles and grandparents as well. The nuclear family in terms for therapy would include the two parents and the offspring. Today’s family has evolved to include not only adoption, but rather any person that is “considered” to be family. Often times a blood or non-blood person may live with or be woven into the family unit, they would not be dismissed, and they would be considered a member of the family in
therapy.
Many changes have occurred in how family units are viewed since the emersion of Family Systems theory, and due to the evolving acceptance of society. Marriage, once a union that was to be held on to no matter the circumstance has evolved and changed, not only the roles of the wife and husband but also the union itself. There are now places that observe same sex marriages. Divorce has also changed, once frowned upon and looked at a failure, divorcees are able to hold their heads up and not be ashamed for their choice to end their marriage. There are even counseling services provided for pre- divorce as well as post-divorce for couples, and their families. Blended families have also become more acceptable and common in society. The family systems theory has made it possible to treat family members holistically and allow them to better understand their families (whatever their makeup) and their roles within those families.
References
Inside-the-mind. (2014, July 25). Retrieved from How Stuffworks: http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/sleep1.htm
Broderick, C. B. (1982). The history of professional marriage adn family Therapy. In G. &. Kniskern, Handbook of Family Therapy (pp. 24-25). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Mitchell, G. (2014, October 25). Alfred Adler & Adlerian Individual Psychology. Retrieved from Mind Development: htt://www.mind-development.eu/adler.html
Net Industries. (2014, October 25). Family Systems Theory-Basic Concepts. Retrieved from Net Industries: http://family.jrank.org/pages/599/Family-Systems-Theory.html