Family Systems Theory

Family Systems TheoryPaloma Franco, BA | Judy Juarez, BA | Ashley Arnold, BS

Azusa Pacific University

What we will cover today:

FAMILY:

Particular societal construct whereby persons are related by ancestry, marriage, adoption, or choice.

Household:

Residential unit in which members share resources. These units vary in

membership and composition.

A household is not always a family (parents and children), and a family is not always a household

(because it may be separated geographically).(Zinn, Eitzen & Wells, 2008)

What is a family?

Cultural awareness

• Some of the criticisms of FST is that it upholds a model of white, middle-class families that is not applicable to individuals from other cultural or ethnic origins (Murdock, 2004).

• FST often assumes:• patriarchal and cultural

biases

• Ethnicity• Language• Customs and

Traditions• Generations• Religion• LGBT• Economic status

Cultural awareness

ACTIVITY:

Fst background

• This theory is considered one of the major schools of counseling and psychotherapy

• It can be used with individual clients

• Theorists believe that they can best understand the individual through understanding his/her experiences as a member of the family

There is still some question on whether doing Family System therapy without the complete family group represent is effective. (Murdock,

2004)

Fst background

Family system theorist are considering the best way to approach helping individuals is to see them in context, as a part of a larger system, and they tend to focus on the relationships among individuals who are members of the system (Beckvar & Beckvar, 2003)

GOALS OF FAMILY SYSTEMS THEORY:

• To enhance the self esteem of family members (Woods & Martin, 1984)

• To release the blocked potential of families and engaging the healing powers of the client (Satir, 2000)

• To bring awareness and change in the social system (e.g., the family) as in the individual. (Murdock, 2004)

FST BACKGROUND

The family is interconnected, and influences on one part of the system will affect other parts. (Murdock, 2004)

ACTIVITY: FAMILY AS A SYSTEM

6 Volunteers

Four major approaches:

Satir approach

• Virginia Satir• 1916-1988• Satir was known worldwide

as a pioneer in the development of family therapy.

• Satir saw her approach as helping people gain a sense of their wholeness and potential and a commitment to individual awareness and expression, self-fulfillment, and individual growth.

Underlying Philosophy or Assumptions:

• Past generations, has a significant influence on our attitudes and behaviors.

• Each person contains all the resources one needs for growth and healthy functioning.

• The result of dysfunctional family systems is low self-esteem and defensive behavior, as the basic drive of human beings is to enhance self-esteem and defend against threats to it. (Marley & Rasheed.J, Rasheed. M, 2011)

Central constructs: self esteem affirmation

• The degree to which the individual values himself regardless of the opinions of others (Satir & Baldwin, 1983).• People with low self worth are anxious and

uncertain about themselves and overly concerned with other's evaluations of them.

Central constructs: self mandala

• Philosophy was that our self was composed of many different parts and that each of these parts had to be nurtured each and every day in order for us to be content and fulfilled. Satir's parts of the self are described below: (Marley & Rasheed.J, Rasheed. M, 2011)

Central constructs: communication

Functional Families:

• Communication is; clear, complete, congruent communication in which there are clear roles and rules to govern family processes.

• Open system: a clear interchange of information and resources within and without the system that is adaptive and dynamic

Dysfunctional Families:•Communication is; indirect, unclear, vague, dishonest, distorted, and incomplete•Poor communication results in low self esteem, which can trigger an individual to inappropriate response, especially in times of high stress

Central constructs: Family rules

• The rules by which a family operates can be overt or covert.• If one is not happy, one is bad and disobedient; this

assessment can lead to low self-worth.• Flexibility and age appropriateness are also important to

family rules.• Rules should also allow for diversity among members' ways

of operating in the world, and also should allow for members to share information freely.• Family secrets are a no-no in the Satir approach. (Murdock,

2004)

Process of therapy:

• Stage One: Contacto A counselor's job is to attempt to create an atmosphere of hope and

trusto The counselor must make it obvious for family members what they

have observed and to make clear what family members often know completely

• Stage Two: Chaos (Complete disorder and confusion.)o When one family member ventures into risky territory. o Therapist helps the individual to reveal hurt, pain, and. or anger

that has previously remained hiddeno Therapist helps the individual stay in the present

• Stage Three: Integrationo The family finds a way to move on the issue that created the chaos, o Develops new ways of being, and some closure is gained on the

pivotal issue.

Structural therapy

Structural therapy: history

Salvador Minuchin•1921, Born and raised in Argentina

HistoryBeginnings:oWorked at the Wiltwyck Center where he:

Began to think about Family therapy in his work with low income African American families.

oWrote book Family of the SlumsoLeft Wiltwyck and began working at the Philadelphia Child Guidance ClinicoWorked with difficult clients

o Families of anorexic girlsoLearned the most about family structure through observing psychosomatic families

o Structural therapy was prominent in the 1970’s

Quick facts about Structural Therapy

• Structural therapy intent is to change the structure of the family system, which then will impact the experiences of its members.

• Structural therapy is active and focused on the present. "The tool of this therapy is to modify the present, not to explore and interpret the past" (Minuchin, 1974).

• The personality of Minuchin is confused with the qualities and roles of the structural therapist, because Minuchin includes his feelings about families and life experiences as part of the therapeutic process.

Therapy Goals•To restructure family organization•To change dysfunctional transitional patterns

(Corey, 2009)

Central constructs

Subsystems•Smaller group within the family, such as

• also known as coalitions

Boundaries•Important because they protect the morals of the subsystem•Disengaged: boundaries are too rigid•Enmeshed: boundaries are unclear

Family Structures•"Family structure is a set of rules that tells who talks with whom, who plays with who, (and in what ways), and so forth” (Murdock, 2004)

Theory of person and development of the individual

Four main stages of family development:Couple Formation Families with young children

Families with school-age or adolescent children Families with grown children

Theory of person and development of the individual

The Individual•The identity of the individual is composed of a balance between individuality and belonging

• In a healthy family, the individual can maintain good balance between individualization and belonging to the family.

• In an unhealthy family, the individual struggles or does not have good balance between individualization and belonging to the family.

•Individuals in disengaged families: allows a lot of individuality•Individuals in enmeshed families: expects less individuality and more of loyalty and conformityPatterns•Detouring or scapegoating

When a parental dyad is openly split..• Parent- Child Coalition• Triangulation

(Murdock, 2004)

Nature of therapy

•Assessment

•Atmosphere

Process of Therapy Joining: The structural therapist leads the system but they also must become a member of it

Therapeutic Techniques3 Strategies:Challenges are made to the a) view of the symptomb) family structurec) family reality

(Murdock, 2004)

Nature of therapy

a) View of the symptomTechniquesReframingTo change how the family views the symptom:•Enactment•Focusing•Achieving intensity

b) Family StructureTechniques•Boundary Making: use to create better boundaries within the family structure

•Unbalancing: intentional to changing the hierarchy of the family

•Teaching complementarity: allows the member to become aware of their behaviors and how that impact the family as a whole which then changes the way the family looks at the problem

(Murdock, 2004)

Nature of therapy

c) Family realityTechniques (Paradoxical)Emphasizing on the strengths that the family already possesses.

Role and function of the therapist: "Friendly uncle" or promoter of change (Corey, 2009)

Strategic therapy

Strategic therapyJay Haley

1923-2007

Cloe Madanes1941-

• Combined structural family therapy with ideas of hierarchy, power, and strategic interventions.

• Master's in Arts and Communication• Influenced by communication

dynamics and the work of Milton Erickson

• Another leading advocate of strategic therapy was Cloe Madanes, who was also at married to Haley.

• Founded the Family Institute in Washington,D.C.in 1970's

• This therapy became the most popular family therapy approach by the 1980's.

(Corey, 2009)

Strategic therapyHistory(continued)

•Developed from the work of early systems theorist from Bateson and colleagues at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, Ca•Haley (1974) views family problem as "real" problems that need real answers.•Haley spent 10 years working Minuchin.

What is Strategic Therapy?•Therapist initiates goals and creates an approach for each problems.•Symptoms are seen as ways to communicate.•Therapist evaluate the family through observing their interactions

Goal•To solve the presenting problem

Strategic therapy: central constructs

Communication •Digital • Analog (or Metaphoric)

On hierarchies, just because an unfair hierarchy does not indicate as a justification that one should change it as a therapist.

(Murdock, 2004)

Strategic therapy: theory of person and development of the individual

Theory of PersonStrategic therapist do not have a theory of personalityDo not explore on healthy people and families

Important life stages in Strategic Therapy (According to Haley, 1973)1. Courting period2. Early Marriage3. Childbirth and dealing with the young4. Middle age5. Weaning parents from children6. Retirement and old age

The impact of hierarchy Within the family structure..•Having problematic hierarchies creates problems in families because there is an unbalance•Problematic hierarchies are linked rigid behavior within the family

Confused hierarchies can also occur in healthy family structures

Strategic therapy: nature of therapy

Nature of Therapy•This therapy does not have a formal assessment (or diagnosis) because they believe that "diagnostic labels" are risky.•Psychoactive medication should be discontinued

Process of Therapy•Haley (1974) first counseling session with family

• Mandatory for everyone to be there

Five Stages:1.Social2.Problem 3.Interaction 4.Goal Setting5.Getting to know members

(Murdock, 2004)

Strategic therapy: therapeutic techniques

• Directives - is use with the primary goal of getting people to change their behavior• Straightforward directive• Paradoxial directive

• Reframing - changing the way the problem is viewed

• Role and Function of the therapist: Active director of change (Corey, 2009)

Bowens family systems therapy(BFST)

history• Dr. Murray Bowen• Began his theoretical work with

Schizophrenia.• Best known for two pioneering

advances in family therapy:• He experimented with

hospitalizing the entire families of schizophrenics, practicing family group therapy.

• Personal analysis of his own journey to differentiate from his family of origin.

Central constructs

Differentiation of selfThe ability of a particular family member to remain in contact

with and connected to the family system while also maintaining emotional autonomy.

LOW HIGH

• Reactive; they respond based on emotions

• Solid sense of self. They are clear about where they end and others begin. Their behavior are guided by their own principles and cognition rather than emotional factors.

Central constructs

Chronic Anxiety Triangles Emotional

Distance

Nature of therapy

• Assessment: Informal questioning & formal (Genogram)

• Coaching

• Goals: to help the individual(s) differentiate from the family of origin.

Therapeutic techniques• No real "technique" instead, Bowen emphasized

"understanding of the family system"• Process questioning

3 Methods by which the client works toward differentiation of self:

1. Establish person-to-person relationships with members of the family

2. Learn to be a better observer of family interactions, and better at controlling emotional reactions

3. Detriangling

My big fat Greek wedding

Ordinary people

Usefulness for Helping within Student Development Work:


1. The importance of environmental variables (e.g., family) in the creation and/or maintenance of problems • The focus would be more effective with

students if it acknowledged family dynamics and dysfunctions rather than just the students problems


2. The importance of families in students' lives.• Oftentimes, family closeness is regarded as a

source of support for students; however, it can also be strong sense of stress for the student and may need to be addressed when helping students face the pressures of college.


3. Extending the principles of system theory or family therapy to groups (fraternities/sororities, RA staff teams, organizations, etc.) may not only help the individuals in psychological distress but also the development and health of these larger social circles.


Compatibility with Christian/Faith Based Worldview:

• Recent interest in exploring the FST and spirituality• Spirituality defined as "ways related to the sacred"• God as a member of a relational system• "Family Systems Theory, or Bowen Theory as it is

often called, is rapidly becoming one of the most popular methodologies utilized by clergy (i.e. ministers, priests, rabbis, imams, deacons, etc.) and other faith leaders" (as cited in Center for FST of New York webpage)

Questions?

References:Beckvar, D.S., & Beckvar, R.J. (2003). Family therapy (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn and

Bacon.Brennan, C., Eulberg, J. E., & Britton, P. J. (2011). Improving Awareness of

Vulnerabilities to Ethical Challenges: A Family Systems Approach. Journal Of Systemic Therapies, 30(3), 73-85. doi:10.1521/jsyt.2011.30.3.73

Broderick, C. B. (1993). Understanding family process, basics of family systems theory. Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Corey, G. (2009). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (8th ed). Belmont: Thomson Brooks/ Cole.

Satir, V. (2000). The therapist story. In M. Baldwin (Ed.), The use of self in therapy (2nd ed., pp.17-27). New York: Haworth.

Maiden Rootes, K. M., Jankowski, P. J., Sandage, S. T. (2010). Bowen family systems and spirituality: Exploring the relationship triangulation and religious questing. Contemporary Family Therapy, 32, (2), 89-101

Murdock, N. L. (2004). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: A case approach. Columbus, Ohio: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Reynolds, A.L. (2009). Helping college students: Developing essential support skills for student affairs practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Okun, B.F. (2002). Effective helping: Interviewing and counseling techniques (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Woods, M.D., & Martin, D. (1984). The Work of Virginia Satir: Understanding her theory and technique. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 12(4), 3-11.

Zinn, M. B., Eitzen, D. S., & Wells, B. (2008). Diversity in families. (8 ed.). Allyn

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Family Systems Theory