Symbolic Experimental

Question 1

Who is the primary contributor?

Answer 1

Carl Whitaker

Question 2

What two movements did symbolic experimental grow out of?

Answer 2

humanistic psychology and gestalt therapies

Question 3

What clinic did primary contributor begin?

Answer 3

Atlantic Psychiatry Clinic

Question 4

Who was another prominent figure?

Answer 4

Walter Kempler - Getalt therapist - individuals growth over the system as a whole.

Question 5

What was the theme of symbolic experimental?

Answer 5

Emotional suppression was at the source of individual and family dysfunction. Therapists need to rely on themselves instead of depend on therapy

Question 6

stance and role of therapist?

Answer 6

Use of a co - therapist. They can rely on their interpersonal imtimacy to sustain them rather than expecting the client family to meet their needs

• Grandparent role. accept parenting responsibilites temporarily
• therapist declines taking role of expert

Question 7

Person of the therapist

Answer 7

attributes the psychological health and authenticity of the therapist as a person as being the primary factor in effective therapeutic outcomes. The therapist is encouraged to be authentic and real with his or her clients , relying on the spontineity of their emotional responses as they remain present with the family.

Question 8

Existential Encounter

Answer 8

The therapists willingness to both receive the families reaction to him or her as well as disclose his/her reactions to the family

Question 9

Therapy of the absurd

Answer 9

SE Therapy may be referred to as absurd given its unrecognizable structure, spontaneous responses and therapist transparency

Question 10

Individuation

Answer 10

A primary goal in growth oriented therapies, encouraging each individual family member in becoming more of who they are

Question 11

Family interaction

Answer 11

Healthy Family interaction in Experimental Therapy is traditionally characterized through flexibility and openness to life experiences.

Question 12

who is involved in therapy?

Answer 12

all members of the family, including at least two generations, therapist may refuse to see only parts of a family

Question 13

How long is treatment?

Answer 13

families meet for weekly sessions- later phases may come in monthly

Question 14

Goal of therapy

Answer 14

To increase families members belonginness to the family with encouraging members to individuate. Members can be emotionally expressive.

Question 15

What are curative factors?

Answer 15

factors that must be present before any actual health or healing taking place

Question 16

What did whitaker believe was the single most important factor?

Answer 16

Therapist own personality and psychological health

Question 17

Battle for structure

Answer 17

Must first win the battle for structure if therapy is going to be effective. Determine who attends the session, what time sessions are and how frequently and for how long sessions occur. If family is not willing to meet these expectations , than they are not prepared to invest in growth and change will be unlikely

Question 18

Battle for initiative

Answer 18

After therapist wins the battle for structure, the family must win the battle for initiative. that is realize that they are responsible for change, not the therapist

Question 19

Expanding Distress

Answer 19

The process of expanding the symptom to the system, that is expanding the distress to include each family member, shifting the nature of anxiety within the family and reducing blame and scapegoating

Question 20

Activating Constructive Anxiety

Answer 20

An effort to reframe symptoms as efforts toward building competence by focusing on the positive attributes of anxiety as a means toward self growth

Question 21

Redefining symptom

Answer 21

will often redefine symptoms from pathological to efforts toward growth

Question 22

Fantasy Alternative

Answer 22

Discussing problematic or stressful situations in fantasy based, “ what if” terms or deemphasizing stressful situations by suggestion absurd fantasy alternative ex. maybe if you medicated your husband, he wouldn’t be so emotional

Question 23

Affective Confrontation

Answer 23

The therapist intentional confrontation with the family where he or she will directly and openly share his or her subjective emotional experience of working with the family

Question 24

Co -therapist

Answer 24

Whitaker would always work with a co- therapist , as this allowed him to be more crazy in sessions and he would rely on his therapist to ground him. co -therapy used as t a therapeutic tool.

Question 25

Degree of Craziness

Answer 25

driven crazy, going crazy and acting crazy. different degree of craziness in dysfunctional families

Question 26

Teaming Roles

Answer 26

Healthy members of a family may intentionally be paired into teaming roles by the therapist to encourage further healthy behavior by other family members.

Question 27

Therapeutic double bind

Answer 27

When asked about a possible diagnosis, whitaker would initiate a therapeutic double bind - that is a relational diagnosis that is unlikely to change

Question 28

Bilateral Pseudo Therapy

Answer 28

Occurs when family members attempt tp play therapist to one another. - this is avoided

Question 29

Bilateral Transferance

Answer 29

A therapist intentional maneuver to adapt to the language, accent, rhythm of the family

Question 30

Flight towards health

Answer 30

When a family would abruptly stop showing up for treatment. Whitaker would take this as a positive sign the family experienced profound growth and no longer requires therapeutic support. Whitaker would always be supportive of a families request to terminate treatment