Alice Garcia-Irvine, Kathy Findley & Laura Rocha

Emerged from humanisticexistentialist movement of the 1960s Drew from Gestalt Therapy Psychodrama Client-centered Encounter-group movement

The root cause of family problems is emotional suppression and denial of impulses Individuals-fulfilling roles Bridging the family-second priority

Emphasis on freedom Emotional experiences Here-and-now Honest emotion Individual before the family

Humanistic People are good Honest emotions People are resourceful, energetic, creative
Existentialist - freedom of choice

Carl Whitaker (1912-1995) Anti-theoretical Be yourself Intuition Virginia Satir (1916-1988) Communication Individual self-expression

Experiential family therapy lost popularity Then resurgence of trends of therapy Key figures Leslie Greenberg and Susan Johnson Richard Schwartz

Greenberg and Johnson (1985) Attachment theory Emotion as communication Defenses Deeper emotions

Internal Family Systems model Clients confront sub-personalities parts disowned selves Conflict in others (family, friends) Conflicts with/within self

Confuse instrumental & expressive functions of emotions Control emotions of children Dull emotional experience Not tolerant of individuality Victims (children of these families)
Boredom, apathy and anxiety later

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Satirs observations
Emotional deadness Cold affect Dont enjoy the family Lack of warmth Avoidance by work/school

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Destructive communication in smothering feelings:

Blaming Placating Being irrelevant Being super reasonable.

All are due to low self-esteem

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Spontaneous Did not allow complaining Used positive connotation Taught affection Loving, yet forceful Use of touch as communication Was present and supportive

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Innate inclination toward selfactualization Conflicts with social structure Not a lot of parental control No restriction of childs emotions Sharing experiences Open, natural, spontaneous

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Suppression of feelings Denial of impulses Lack of warmth Avoidance Security rather than satisfaction

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Creative and spontaneous Unblock awareness Support individuation Force personality on family Caring and accepting Increase experience levels
Increase affect

Dont diagnose

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Personal integrity Expand experience Liberate affect and impulses Little focus on presenting problem Promote communication Promote interaction

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Family Sculpting Family Puppet Interviews Family Art Therapy Conjoint Family Drawings Animal Attribution Play Therapy Techniques Role-Playing Gestalt Therapy Psychotherapy of the Absurd (Whitaker)

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Gus Napier Carl Whitaker (3 generation rule)

Two therapists Personal encounter Joined family Confrontational

to overemphasize either the individual or family connectedness is to distort the human condition (David Keith)

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Goldenberg, I., & Goldenberg, H., (1991). Family therapy an overview (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Nichols, M., (2008). Family therapy concepts and methods (8th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education. Piercy, F., & Sprenkle, D., (1986). Family therapy sourcebook. New York: Guilford Press

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