Role of the Therapist
Principles of Experiential Family Therapy
- The power of experience
- Active, multisensory techniques
- Affect and anxiety
- Spontaneity and playfulness
Presentation of Practice Model
- Influenced by Gestalt Therapy
- Therapists concerned with using clients' in-session experiences to produce family growth and change
- "The root cause of family problems is emotional suppression"
Historical Background
Cultural Sensitivity
- Emerged in 1960s
- Humanistic-Existential Theory
- Carl Whitaker
- Virginia Satir
- Communication + Humanistic Frame of Reference
Treatment Planning
Assessment
Treatment Format, Use of Time Limits & Goals
- Begin by assuming that therapy will be short-term, but...
- Session length: 50-60 minutes weekly it typical
- Time limits: Ask client at the beginning of treatment how many sessions
- Goals: - Increase awareness and expression of feelings
- Promote flexibility in response to problems
- Promote spontaneity and playfulness within the family
Process - Experiential Therapy makes use of two key emotion-theoretical concepts:
- Emotion Schemes
- Emotion Reactions
Individual Experiential Therapy Process
Family Experiential Therapy Intervention Process
- Generating an Interpersonal Set
- Creating a Suprasystem
- Stimulating a Symbolic Context
- Activating Stress within the System
- Creating Symbolic Experience
- Moving Out of the System
Experiential Family Therapy
Wallace Wilson, Carmen Arias, Gemma Peralta