Symbolic Experimental Flashcards
Who is the primary contributor?
Carl Whitaker
What two movements did symbolic experimental grow out of?
humanistic psychology and gestalt therapies
What clinic did primary contributor begin?
Atlantic Psychiatry Clinic
Who was another prominent figure?
Walter Kempler - Getalt therapist - individuals growth over the system as a whole.
What was the theme of symbolic experimental?
Emotional suppression was at the source of individual and family dysfunction. Therapists need to rely on themselves instead of depend on therapy
stance and role of therapist?
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
Person of the therapist
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.
Existential Encounter
The therapists willingness to both receive the families reaction to him or her as well as disclose his/her reactions to the family
Therapy of the absurd
SE Therapy may be referred to as absurd given its unrecognizable structure, spontaneous responses and therapist transparency
Individuation
A primary goal in growth oriented therapies, encouraging each individual family member in becoming more of who they are
Family interaction
Healthy Family interaction in Experimental Therapy is traditionally characterized through flexibility and openness to life experiences.
who is involved in therapy?
all members of the family, including at least two generations, therapist may refuse to see only parts of a family
How long is treatment?
families meet for weekly sessions- later phases may come in monthly
Goal of therapy
To increase families members belonginness to the family with encouraging members to individuate. Members can be emotionally expressive.
What are curative factors?
factors that must be present before any actual health or healing taking place
What did whitaker believe was the single most important factor?
Therapist own personality and psychological health
Battle for structure
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
Battle for initiative
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
Expanding Distress
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
Activating Constructive Anxiety
An effort to reframe symptoms as efforts toward building competence by focusing on the positive attributes of anxiety as a means toward self growth
Redefining symptom
will often redefine symptoms from pathological to efforts toward growth
Fantasy Alternative
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
Affective Confrontation
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
Co -therapist
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.
