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Experiential Family Therapy

Bibliography

All Parts are Welcome. (n.d.). Retrieved April 08, 2018, from https://www.selfleadership.org/outline-of-the-Internal-family-systems-model.html

Banmen, J., & Maki-Banmen, K. (2014). What Has Become of Virginia Satir’s Therapy Model Since She Left Us in 1988?. Journal Of Family Psychotherapy, 25(2), 117-131. doi:10.1080/08975353.2014.909706

Cag, P., & Voltan Acar, N. (2015). A View of the Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy of Carl Whitaker through Movie Analysis. Educational Sciences: Theory And Practice, 15(3), 575-586.

Mitten, T., & Piercy, F. P. (1993). Learning Symbolic-Experiential Therapy: One Approach. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 15(2), 149-168.

The American Society of Experiential Therapists. (2016). Retrieved March 29, 2018, from http://www.asetonline.com/index.html

Thompson, S. J., Bender, K., Cardoso, J. B., & Flynn, P. M. (2010). Experiential Activities in Family Therapy: Perceptions of Caregivers and Youth. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 20(5), 560-568. doi:10.1007/s10826-010-9428-x

Thank you!

Support for Experiential Family Therapy

According to a 2011 qualitative study (Thompson & Cardoso)...

  • Facilitated opportunities to share feelings
  • Fun and engaging activities
  • Application to daily living
  • Focus on the positive/identifying strengths helped resolve conflict

Evidence-Based Support/Criticism

Criticism of Experiential Family Therapy

According to Thompson & Cardoso's 2011 study...

  • Limited number of research studies conducted
  • Certain activities were unproductive
  • Some activities were pushed when the family's mood did not fit the activity
  • Too many activities, not enough advice given
  • Some activity instructions were too complex
  • Sometimes the point of the activity was unclear

www.arttherapyreflections.blogspot.com

  • young children
  • individuals with intellectual disabilities
  • those who are timid or quiet
  • abuse survivors
  • trauma survivors
  • those who are uncomfortable talking about private issues

Experiential Therapy is best for anyone who has a hard time expressing themselves verbally

This course of therapy is based on the now, therefore each therapy session should be focused on what is happening in the family at the present moment.

How long does it take?

www.arttherapyblog.com

What do Positive Outcomes Look Like?

The purpose of this therapy is to explore emotions, what each member of the family may be feeling but can't articulate. This therapy helps to resolve conflicts, help heal wounds, and learn healthy ways to interact with loved ones. Positive outcomes are achieved when these goals have been accomplished.

Experiential Family Therapy first became popular in the 1960's when family therapy its self was young.

Founders of Experiential Therapy

Whitaker was the chair of Emory University's Department of Psychiatry in 1955 when the department came under pressure to become more psychoanalytic.

Instead of succumbing to this pressure, he and his entire faculty resigned and established Atlanta Psychiatric clinic, where experiential family therapy was born.

Carl Whitaker (1912-1995)

The Course of Therapy

The typical course of therapy takes several forms. it can be seen in Role play, family sculpting, outdoor activities, animal therapy, art, and games/exercises.

Whitaker was among the first to do family therapy.

He was a leading proponent of a free form, client led, intuitive approach to therapy.

Wanted to encourage family members to be their genuine selves together and to get in touch with raw emotions.

Similar to individual expressive therapies, experiential family therapy emphasizes the here-and-now experiences and emotions.

Families often try to regulate children's actions by disregarding and punishing children for experiencing emotions that are "undesirable." Children then learn to blunt their emotions rather than acknowledging and moving through them.

Basic Tenets of Experiential Therapy

Founders of Experiential Therapy

Attempts to bring about positive change in family function, will be more successful if families can bring down their own defenses, experience their emotions, and learn to be genuine with themselves and each other.

Systemic therapists see the roots of symptomatic behavior in family member's interactions.

Experiential therapists see symptomatic behavior in family member's projections and defenses interacting with each other's projections and defenses.

Satir was an early pioneer in family therapy. Her professional career began when she was working in private practice in Chicago and began working with families, believing that working with an entire family system was more effective than working with one individual alone.

Virginia Satir 1916-1988

www.readingconfetti.com

Satir's approach to family therapy emphasized communication and emotional experiencing.

She is described as the archetypal nurturing therapist.

At a time when the field was immersed in abstract concepts and the implementation of complex strategies, Satir emphasized empathy.

Example

After the passing of Satir and Whitaker, experiential family therapy experienced a time of decreased popularity. However, with the development of several newer models, experiential family therapy has been experiencing a bit of a revival.

These "super-hero wrist-bands" are made out of empty toilet paper rolls and decorated with basic craft supplies. An art therapist would use this activity to facilitate a conversation about finding "Your superpower," or the strengths that help you cope. Decorating the wrist bands around the theme of their own superpower helps kids internalize that strength and feel empowered.

Sue Johnson, Clinical Psychologist

Where to learn more?

The American Society of Experiential Therapists

www.asetonline.com

  • At least a Master's degree from an accredited university in a mental health field
  • 500 hours of training in the following areas:
  • Experiential therapy (200 hrs)
  • Psychodrama therapy (200 hrs)
  • Trauma training (50 hrs)
  • Addiction training (50 hrs)

A therapeutic process in which client's inner voices are personified as characters or

Level III Certification Requirements

For information about training, certifications, requirements, application process, etc.

Internal Family Systems Therapy

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in the mental health field
  • 90 hours of training in:
  • Experiential therapy (50 hrs)
  • Psychodrama therapy (30 hrs)
  • Trauma training (10 hrs)

Formal Educational Requirements

Level I Certification Requirements

Level II Certification Requirements

parts, then are reintegrated using psychodramatic techniques

and families benefit from experiencing emotional vulnerability and safety with each other.

  • Master's degree from an accredited university in mental health field
  • 200 hours of training in:
  • Experiential therapy (60 hrs)
  • Psychodrama therapy (100 hrs)
  • Trauma training (20 hrs)
  • Addiction training (20 hrs)

Whitaker believed in learning through experience

  • Apprenticeship model
  • Challenges with this...
  • Satir only disclosed general descriptions
  • Resulted in incorporating her ideas rather than her approach

Training

Draws on Perls, Satir, Bowlby's attachment theory and the MRI group to help couples

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

Richard Schwartz, PhD

Experiential family therapy operates under the assumption that is the root cause of familial distress is emotional suppression

Modern Voices in Experiential Family Therapy

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