Experiential Family Therapy Part I Whitaker

Question 1

What is the TOL for Experiential Family Therapy

Answer 1

Pathology is defined as family rigidity, low self-esteem and poor communication.

Question 2

Experiential Family Therapy rooted in what approach?

Answer 2

Existential, humanistic psychology.

Class 12 Notes P. 1

Question 3

What does Experiential, Humanistic psychology deal with?

Answer 3

The here and now, getting in touch with feelings/emotions, actualizing potential
Class 12 Notes P. 1

Question 4

How does Whitaker approach therapy?

Answer 4

Pragmatically and deliberately non-theoretically. Therapy is an intimate, interactive experience - therapist and clients are equally vulnerable, client nor therapist take responsibility for the other.
Class 11 notes P. 2

Question 5

What is the aim of Experiential Therapy?

Answer 5

To help individuals grow within the context of their family.

Class 11 notes P. 3

Question 6

What does Whitaker focus on?

Answer 6

The emotional process of the family structure, drawing out anxiety, emotions anger and unexpressed emotions.
Class 11 notes P. 3

Question 7

What does Whitaker seek to uncover?

Answer 7

Uncovered key emotional dynamics in a family system that are suppressing individual growth.
Class 11 notes P. 3

Question 8

What level does Whitaker work on when conducting Experiential Therapy and what does he rely?

Answer 8

He works on the emotional level and relies on allegory and symbolism.
Class 11 notes P. 3

Question 9

In Experiential therapy, what do health families have in common?

Answer 9

The grow despite the pitfalls and problems, everyone is included, there is an awareness of the whole and rigid triangles are absent.
Class 11 notes P. 4

Question 10

How do health families handle problem?

Answer 10

Through the process of negotiation.

Class 11 notes P. 4

Question 11

Describe a dysfunctional family.

Answer 11

They:
Deny impulses and suppress feelings
Self protective and avoid taking risks
Are rigid and mechanical
Believe confrontation and open conflict can destroy them
Stop growing and get stuck at point(s) in the life-cycle
Class 11 notes P. 5

Question 12

What does Experiential Therapy enable family members to do?

Answer 12

Help families to experience themselves both as a system and as individuals who are able to become unstuck.
Class 11 notes P. 5

Question 13

According to Whitaker, what is the mission of Experiential Family Therapy?

Answer 13

To help 3 generational family system maintain healthy separation and autonomy?
Class 11 notes P. 5

Question 14

According to Whitaker, how are roles determined and what characteristic should they have?

Answer 14

Roles are determined by generation and should be flexible.

Class 11 notes P. 5

Question 15

Where are family members encouraged to look in an effort to grow as individuals and as a family?

Answer 15

At themselves

Class 11 notes P. 5

Question 16

How does Whitaker describe his style of therapy?

Answer 16

“The psychotherapy of the absurd.”

Class 11 notes P. 5

Question 17

What are the pieces of Whitaker’s “battle for structure”?

Answer 17

Family sizes up the therapist
Family seeks to impose its own definition of what's wrong
Who is to blame
Who should be a part of therapy
How the therapist should proceed
Class 11 notes P. 6

Question 18

What position did Whitaker establish with the family and what does it mean?

Answer 18

He takes the “I” position by protecting his autonomy, insisting that one of his primary goals is his own personal growth.
Class 11 notes P. 6

Question 19

What are Whitaker’s 4 phases of treatment?

Answer 19

Pretreatment, middle, late phases and separation phases

Class 11 notes P. 7

Question 20

What should occur in the Pretreatment phase

Answer 20

Therapist
Establishes that he is in charge
Insists that the family makes its own life decisions outside of their office visits
Class 11 notes P. 7

Question 21

What occurs in the Middle Phase?

Answer 21

Therapist:
Increases involvement with family
Avoids being absorbed by the family
Relabels symptoms as effort towards growth
Uses confrontation, exaggeration, anecdote/absurdity to help,family change
Class 11 notes P. 7

Question 22

Describe the Late Phase in Experiential Therapy.

Answer 22

Minimal intervention is needed, the family uses its resources and assumes responsibility for its wellbeing.
Class 11 notes P. 7

Question 23

Describe the separation phase.

Answer 23

Therapist part with a mixture of jou and loss is experienced.
Class 11 notes P. 7