During this quarter, you have learned about many important models of family therapy. These family therapy models, or schools, represent lenses through which we view and make meaning of clients' lives and the challenges that they are experiencing within the context of their relationships. You have also learned a little about modernism and postmodernism and how these philosophical approaches impact our understandings of how therapeutic change happens and the stance and role of family therapists in the therapy room.
For this work summarizes the major concepts, the theory of change, and the stance and role of the therapist for one modernist and one postmodernist family therapy model. You should compare and contrast their theories of change and how the therapist positions herself or himself in relation to the clients, and summarize the significant differences between the modernist and postmodernist theories you chose in your conclusion.
Modernist family therapy theories to choose from: structural, strategic, Bowenian or intergenerational, Virginia Satir's experiential family therapy, and Carl Whitaker's symbolic experiential therapy.
Postmodernist family therapy theories to choose from: Narrative therapy (Michael White, David Epston, Stephen Madigan), solution-focused therapy (Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg, Bill O'Hanlon), Harlene Anderson's collaborative language therapy.
Use the template to guide your work and organize your information properly. Be sure to delete any contextual information that is already on the template as you work.
be sure to address the following:
Define relevant concepts of one modernist and one postmodernist family therapy theory.
Analyze the historical impact of modernist and postmodernist family therapy theorists associated with the chosen models.
Articulate how one modernist and one postmodernist family therapy theory affect the stance and role of the family therapist.
Differentiate the theories of change in one modernist and postmodernist family therapy theory.
Evaluate each theory's impact on marriage and family therapy.
Full Answer Section
Modernist Family Therapy Model: Bowenian or Intergenerational Family Therapy
A. Relevant Concepts:
Bowenian Family Therapy, developed by Murray Bowen, emphasizes the influence of multigenerational patterns and the individual's level of differentiation on family functioning. Key concepts include:
- Differentiation of Self: The ability to separate one's intellectual and emotional functioning. Individuals with higher differentiation can remain calm and rational under stress and are less reactive to the emotions of others.
- Triangles: A three-person relationship system that is the smallest stable unit of human interaction. Under stress, two people may triangulate a third person to diffuse tension.
- Nuclear Family Emotional System: The emotional patterns within a couple or nuclear family, including marital conflict, dysfunction in one spouse, impairment of one or more children, and emotional distance.
- Family Projection Process: The primary way parents transmit their lack of differentiation to their children. One child is often identified as more sensitive or problematic and becomes the focus of parental anxiety.
- Multigenerational Transmission Process: The way in which levels of differentiation and patterns of relating are passed down through generations.
- Sibling Position: Bowen believed that sibling position influences personality characteristics and roles within the family.
- Emotional Cutoff: The process of reducing or totally cutting off emotional contact with family members as a way of managing unresolved emotional issues.
B. Analysis of Historical Impact of Modernist Theorists:
Murray Bowen's work revolutionized the understanding of family dynamics by introducing a multigenerational perspective. His key contributions have had a significant and lasting impact:
- Emphasis on Intergenerational Patterns: Bowen was instrumental in highlighting how unresolved emotional issues and patterns of relating are transmitted across generations, providing a deeper historical context for understanding current family problems. This perspective is valuable in the Kenyan context where family history and lineage often hold significant cultural weight.
- Development of the Concept of Differentiation of Self: This core concept provided a framework for understanding individual functioning within the family system and a key goal for therapeutic change.
- Introduction of the Genogram: Bowen popularized the use of the genogram as a visual tool for mapping family history and identifying multigenerational patterns, which remains a widely used assessment tool in family therapy.
- Focus on the Therapist's Differentiation: Bowen emphasized the importance of the therapist's own level of differentiation in maintaining objectivity and avoiding triangulation within the family system.
- Influence on Research and Theory: Bowen's ideas have stimulated extensive research on family processes and have influenced the development of numerous other family therapy models.
C. Articulation of Therapist Stance and Role:
In Bowenian Therapy, the therapist adopts a neutral, objective, and process-oriented role. The therapist aims to remain outside the family's emotional system to observe patterns and facilitate insight rather than becoming entangled in their dynamics. Key aspects of the therapist's role include:
- Maintaining Neutrality: The therapist strives to remain emotionally detached and avoid taking sides in family conflicts, preventing triangulation.
- Acting as a Coach or Educator: The therapist helps family members understand the concepts of Bowenian theory, such as differentiation and triangles, and how these concepts apply to their own family dynamics.
- Facilitating Insight: The therapist asks process questions to help individuals identify the emotional patterns and multigenerational influences that contribute to their current problems.
- Encouraging Differentiation: The primary goal is to help individuals increase their level of differentiation of self, enabling them to manage their emotions and relationships more effectively.
- Working with Individuals and Subsystems: Therapy may focus on individual family members or specific subsystems (e.g., the couple) to explore their roles in the family system and promote differentiation.
- Using the Genogram: The therapist utilizes the genogram as a tool for assessment and to help family members visualize multigenerational patterns and gain a broader perspective on their issues.
D. Differentiation of Theory of Change:
The theory of change in Bowenian Therapy centers on increasing the level of differentiation of self within individuals and disrupting multigenerational patterns of emotional reactivity. Change occurs through:
- Gaining Intellectual Insight: Understanding family emotional processes and one's own role in them is a crucial first step.
- Reducing Emotional Reactivity: Learning to observe and manage one's emotional responses to family members, rather than being driven by them.
- Detriangulation: Individuals learning to extricate themselves from triangles and relate more directly with others.
- Improving Communication: Fostering clearer and more direct communication based on thoughtful reflection rather than emotional reactivity.
- Reconnecting with Cut-Off Family Members (thoughtfully): In some cases, making conscious efforts to re-engage with family members from whom one has emotionally cut off, with a focus on differentiation rather than emotional fusion.
- Working on Self: Emphasizing individual growth and the development of a stronger sense of self, independent of the family's emotional field.
E. Evaluation of Theory's Impact on Marriage and Family Therapy:
Bowenian Therapy has made significant contributions to the field:
- Introduced the Multigenerational Perspective: This broadened the scope of family therapy beyond immediate interactions to include historical influences. This is particularly relevant in understanding the complex family structures and intergenerational obligations often found in Kenyan communities.
- Emphasized Individual Functioning within the System: It highlighted the importance of individual differentiation as a key factor in overall family health.
- Provided a Comprehensive Theoretical Framework: Bowen's concepts offer a detailed and coherent way of understanding family dynamics and the development of psychological problems.
- Influenced the Therapist's Role: It emphasized the importance of therapist objectivity and self-awareness, which remains a crucial aspect of ethical and effective practice.
- Limitations: Critics have sometimes pointed to its intellectual and insight-oriented approach, which may not be suitable for all clients or cultural contexts that prioritize more direct problem-solving or emotional expression. Its focus on individual differentiation as the primary driver of change may also be seen as less attentive to systemic power dynamics.
III. Postmodernist Family Therapy Model: Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)
A. Relevant Concepts:
Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), pioneered by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg, shifts the focus from problems to solutions and client strengths. Key concepts include:
- The Miracle Question: A central technique that invites clients to imagine how their lives would be different if their problem suddenly disappeared overnight. This helps to elicit desired outcomes and potential solutions.
- Scaling Questions: Questions that ask clients to rate their progress, confidence, or the severity of their problem on a scale (typically 0 to 10). This helps to track change and identify small steps forward.
Sample Answer
Comparison of Modernist and Postmodernist Family Therapy Models
Template for Analysis
I. Introduction
This work will summarize and compare one modernist and one postmodernist family therapy model, highlighting their major concepts, theories of change, and the stance and role of the therapist. The modernist model chosen for this analysis is Bowenian or Intergenerational Family Therapy, and the postmodernist model is Solution-Focused Therapy. We will explore their core principles, analyze the impact of their associated theorists, articulate their influence on the therapist's role, differentiate their theories of change, and evaluate their overall impact on the field of marriage and family therapy, with consideration for its relevance in the Kenyan context.