Experiential Therapies -Satir, Whitaker, Johnson & Greenberg

Question 1

The Satir Growth Model

Answer 1

Focus on communication

Developed her own ideas broadly described as fusing humanistic values into a systemic approach

One of the first therapists to work with entire families

Focus on individual growth and improving family interactions

Question 2

What is Communication Stances (Satir)?

Each stance recognizes or minimizes three realities?

Answer 2

An efficient and effective means of conceptualizing how best to communicate and interact with a client.

self, other, context

Question 3

Satir Communication Stances (survival stances - individual)

Congruent: 
Placator: 
Blamer: 
Super-reasonable: 
Irrelevant:

Answer 3

Congruent: Acknowledge self, other, context

Placator: Acknowledge other, context; not self

Blamer: Acknowledge self, context; not other

Super-reasonable: Acknowledge context, not self or other

Irrelevant: Tries to avoid acknowledging any

Question 4

4 Family roles:

Answer 4

1. The martyr
2. The victim/helpless one
3. The rescuer
4. The good child/parent
5. The bad child/parent

Question 5

Relationally focused goals:

Individually focused goals:

Answer 5

Relationally focused goals:
-Develop ways for all members to communicate congruently

Individually focused goals:

• Promote self actualization of all members
• Emphasis to individual level is unique amongst systemically based therapists

Question 6

Virginia Satir interventions:

Answer 6

1. Self of the therapist
2. Facilitate emotional expression
3. Communication enhancement: Coaching, Role Play, and Enactment
4. Sculpting or Spatial Metaphor
5. Softening family rules
6. Touch

Question 7

Symbolic-Experiential Therapy

Answer 7

-Carl Whitaker

This therapy relies on emotional logic rather than cognitive logic

Focus is on:

• The emotional process
• Family structure

Balances strong emotional confrontation with warmth and support

Question 8

Battle for Structure

Answer 8

Battle for Structure:

• Refers to setting the boundaries and limits for therapy and should be won by the therapist
• Ensuring necessary people attend therapy

-That therapy occurs frequently enough for progress
Session content /process will produce change

Question 9

Battle for Initiative

Answer 9

Battle for Initiative:

• Refers to who has the most investment and initiative to pursue change and should be won by the client
• If the therapist has more initiative towards change, clients feel as if they are being “dragged” or “forced”
• Greater the clients motivation, the more the process flows smoothly

Question 10

“Therapy of the absurd”

Answer 10

“Therapy of the absurd”:

• Absurdity is used to perturb the system
• Sometimes means speaking a truth

Question 11

Goals in EFT:

Answer 11

Goals in EFT include:

Creating secure attachment for both partners

Developing new interaction patterns that nurture and support each partner

Increasing direct expression of emotions, especially those related to attachment needs

Question 12

The RISSSC technique is designed to express understanding of the client’s affective reality in EFT.
What is RISSSC?

Answer 12

RISSSC technique

Repeat
Image
Simple
Slow
Soft
Client’s Words

Question 13

Three primary therapeutic tasks in EFT.

Answer 13

Three primary therapeutic tasks:

Creation & Maintenance of Alliance
Assessing & Formulating Emotion
Restructuring Interactions

Question 14

Three stages with nine steps in EFT, what are the 3 stages?

Answer 14

Three stages with nine steps in EFT:

Stage 1: De-escalation of Negative Cycles
Stage 2: Change Interactional Patterns
Stage 3: Consolidation and Integration

Question 15

NARRATIVE

Answer 15

• Michael White, David Epston

Deconstruction of accepted stories, problems – people are not their problems

Search for unique outcomes

Externalize the problem – that becomes the enemy, instead of something inside

Reauthor the story – what is the new outcome

Question 16

The six stages in Satir (models of change)

1. Status Quo:
2. Introduction of Foreign Element:
3. Chaos:
4. Integration of New Possibilities:
5. Practice:
6. New Status Quo:

Answer 16

1. Status Quo: This is a state of homeostasis that includes at least one symptomatic member.
2. Introduction of Foreign Element: A foreign element, which may be a life crisis, tragedy, or therapeutic intervention, gets the system off balance.
3. Chaos: The new perspective creates a positive feedback loop that throws the system into a state of chaos; at this point, the “natural” response is to feel uncomfortable, and in almost all cases the family tries to regain the status quo (stage 1), which may or may not be possible.
4. Integration of New Possibilities: Eventually, the family system interprets the new information in a meaningful way; the therapist needs to be respectful of how the system uses the information and responds to therapist-client interactions, honoring and trusting the system’s autonomy.
5. Practice: The system develops a new set of interaction patterns based on the new information. This may or may not look like what the therapist expects, but the therapist asks two key evaluative questions: (a) Are the symptoms improving?; (b) Is each person able to self-actualize and grow?
6. New Status Quo: This is a state of new homeostasis that does not include a symptomatic member and that allows all members to grow and flourish.

Question 17

Satir six levels of experience (The iceberg)

Answer 17

The iceberg
■■ Behavior
■■ Coping
■■ Feelings
■■ Perceptions 
■■ Expectations 
■■ Yearnings