What is the essence of a systematic approach, for whom is it designed and in what cases is it most effective?
History
1950s Systemic family therapy arises simultaneously in the USA and Europe, absorbing the ideas of cybernetics and communication theory. Doctors, anthropologists, mathematicians and psychologists have developed ideas about the structure of the family, its crises, the feedback system.
The psychotherapist Virginia Satir was the first to consider the family as a client as a client. British anthropologist Gregory Bateson created the double bind theory. This message is a paradox: for example, a mother verbally expresses love for her child, but her behavior speaks of hostility.
Definition
With a systematic approach, not one person, not a couple, but the whole family as a whole becomes a client. Any problem is considered not as a feature of the behavior or feeling of one of the family members (including children), but as a result of the functioning of the family as a whole as a system that is constantly evolving. All processes occurring in the family system are both cause and effect of each other.
Operating principle
The problems of one of the family members indicate broken relationships within the family. The psychotherapist tries to find out what purpose the symptom serves, which became the reason for therapy.
Systemic family therapy explores how family members communicate with each other and is often done using role play. In some cases, family history is also considered, which can also be a source of current problems.
In the course of therapy, the whole family and the system of relations in it change, as a result of which the behavior of its members also changes.
Progress
A systemic family therapist can work with the whole family, with a couple, or individually with one of the family members, including a child. During the conversation, he analyzes the client’s habitual forms of behavior and his ways of emotionally responding to the words and actions of significant people.
Also considered are family rules (for example, how money is spent and on what) and family myths (the family’s idea of who “we” are; for example, in the “friendly family” myth, one who thinks badly about relatives is considered bad).
Then, together with the client, the therapist seeks new ways of interacting that improve the quality of life and relationships of the client or family.
A genogram can be used in the work – a diagram drawn from the words of the client, reflecting the events in the family and the relationship between its members (love, addiction, breakup). The analysis of the genogram helps to find the source of problems hidden in the family history, which causes family members to behave in a certain way.
Indications for use
Difficult relationships in a couple, sexual disharmony, difficulties in communication between parents and children, difficulties in creating long-term relationships, loss of a loved one, divorce, psychosomatic disorders, behavioral disorders of the child, emotional problems of children – any situation that worries the family can be a topic for consultation .
Family therapists also work with adolescent problems such as addiction, suicide attempts, and eating disorders. Some diseases, such as depression or a phobia of a family member, affect the family as a whole. Family systems therapy helps to cope with these problems if the hidden meaning of the symptom becomes clear.
How long? How much is?
The appointment lasts 1-1,5 hours. Meetings usually take place once a week. The family system is quite flexible, so in some cases one or several consultations are enough, but sometimes long-term assistance is required (up to 30–40 consultations). The price of one appointment is an average of 2500 rubles.