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Unit 11 Systemic Family Therapy

Important Points

• In systemic family therapy, the unit of treatment is not just the one family member who has a problem, but the whole family.
• Families of all types, from all cultural, religious, ethnic, financial, class and caste background would benefit from systemic family therapy.
• Systemic family therapy adopts a very broad definition of family and respects variations.

1. Describe any three common featuers of systemic family therapy and other models of family therapy.

Three common features of systemic family therapy and other models of family therapy are given below:

1. The unit of treatment is the family; no one family member is singled out as a patient;
2. The family members are seen together for the session; and
3. Therapeutic goals and methods are family centered, and the whole family's welfare is of concern.

2. List the three forms of systemic family therapy.

The three forms of systemic family therapy are:

1. Systemic family therapy,
2. Milan systemic model, and
3. Narrative therapy.

3. What are the key features of systemic family therapy?

The key features of systemic family therapy are:

1. The family or organisation is a system,
2. Components of a system,
3. Systemic theoretical concepts,
4. Definitions of problem in systemic therapy, and
5. Function of the symptom.

4. What are the key features:

• Digital communication: No similarity between the expressed sign and its meaning
• Morphogenesis: System change
• Analogue communication: Resemblance between sign and its meaning
• Homeostasis: The tendency to stability
• First order change: Condition that existed in the family prior to the appearance of the symptom

5. Enlist some ways in which system is able to change.

Following are the various ways in which a system is able to change:

• Some parts of a system can change but the system itself does not change.
• The system changes qualitatively,
• Change happens through new information,
• Change either/or frame to both/and, or
• Change from focus on content to process.

6. Answer the following questions in your own words as a systemic family therapist trying to convene a family.

• The problem is only with Samuel, the rest are normal. Why do you need all of us to come?
• It is my experience that many heads help in solving problems better. Your family has information and views that would help me a lot and I would really value their involvement to help Samuel.
• My husband's schedule is so tight, he is travelling all of next week, and again he will miss the session. Also he says that he does not think that Sanskritika has any problem, its all in my head. So, should I just come with Sanskritika?
• I am sorry your husband is so busy with his work and we have missed having his contribution in today's session. I would really like to know his opinion, whatever it is, because as a father he has some special understanding of the relationships in the family and of the people in it. Perhaps he could spare some time to tell me about it. Could you convey this to him from me? Do you think you could do that? I could adjust my time according to his timings as I am sure that he would like to be involve in any developments regarding Sanskritika. I would prefer to wait to start our work in order to give him the chance to attend.

7. Reframe each of the following in a few words of your own

1. She gets hysterical: She shows her worry or she shows she cares desperately.
2. He is a miser, stingy about money: He is careful to preserve family resources or he has a habit of saving.
3. The children never do as they are told: You have raised your children to have independent minds or the children show that they are strong individuals already and that they are not easily afraid of anything.