Solution Focused Therapy And Experiential Therapy

One of the central assumptions of SFBT is that the client will choose the goals for therapy and that the client themselves have resources which they will use in making changes (Macdonald, 2011). The therapeutic conversation aims at restoring hope and self-esteem, while reducing anxiety to a point where people become able to think more widely and creatively about solutions. SFBT holds that high anxiety can restrict cognition and attention to the surrounding environment and that, by reducing anxiety, it would allow for wider thinking about possible approaches to problems, as well as mobilizing their existing strengths and resources to address their desired goals (Rafter et al, 2012).

For this assignment, two different theoretical approaches will be discussed, Bowenian family therapy and structural family therapy, and they will be used individually to construct a treatment plan to help clients reach their goals. Within each treatment plan discussed, short-term and long-term goals of therapy will be established and the family’s presenting problems will be defined. Two techniques that will be assigned to help them reach their therapeutic goals and any expected outcome from using those techniques will be discussed.

 Solution focused therapy is a model of therapy developed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg in the late 1970's (Dolan, n.d.). This model has become well known for its non-traditional approach to client problems as it does not explore clients issues in relation to their cause and affect but rather the goals and solutions to achieving a future free of any present issues. i will be discussing the evident concepts, principles and intervention techniques of this particular model. it will be explored in the context of a case scenario of a therapy session to observe how the model can be actively applied to therapy sessions and why this is the best model to meet the client's needs. The effectiveness of the model

Family is something that plays a tremendous role in our life. Even though the structure of families has changed over the years, it is important to acknowledge that there many families out there whether they are traditional families, nuclear family, stepfamilies or others which tend to have different types of problems in their families. Therefore, many families attempt to go to family therapy in order for them to obtain help in solving the different types of issues they might have at home. As stated in the book Family Therapy by Michael P. Nichols (2013), “The power of family therapy derives from bringing parents and children together to transform their interaction… What keeps people stuck in their inability to see their own participation in the problems that plague them. With eyes fixed firmly on what recalcitrant others are doing, it’s hard for most people to see the patterns that bind them together. The family therapist’s job is to give them a wake-up call” (2013).

A few of the techniques explains to the client which technique words and what doesn’t in a family setting. In the beginning, it’s more about bringing out concerns more than something that may or may not be taking place in the household. Solution-Focused Therapy also focuses on goals and helpful strategies. The true purpose for this type of therapy is focusing on family strengths. One example of the solution-focused therapy is the formula first session task. This task is an example of showing the family what helps. Also, the counselor is constantly asking questions and doing observations to see how well things go when the family leaves therapy. Another example is the exception question. This is usually the counselor looking at the family and

When viewing this family in a Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) lens, we would focus on the solutions rather than the problem. Although the initial assessment would be similar to that of structural and strategic therapy, all of these issues would be explore, we would focus on the solutions rather than the problem. Although the initial assessment would be similar to that of structural and strategic therapy, all of these issues would be explored in a way that allowed for less “problem talk” and more solution based ideas.

My first assumption of family therapy was to involve the parents and the individual that had the problem. This book explored further what it

Chapter One: In this chapter talks about the history of many decades where the different therapist is treating family members separated from the family and eventually when one member of the family sought help and got better another one seems to be affected. These different observations lead to begging the family therapy movement (Nichols, M. 2017).

Haley and Madanes’ approach to strategic family therapy argues that change occurs through the process of the family carrying out assignments issued by the therapist. As described in Madanes’ Strategic Family Therapy (1981), “strategic therapists attempt to design a therapeutic strategy for each specific problem.” Therapists issue directives that are designed to shift the framework of the family to resolve the displaying problem. Treatment of these issues would include intense involvement, carefully planned interventions designed to reach clear goals, frequent use of therapist-generated directives or assignments, and paradoxical procedures.

Becvar, D. & Becvar R. (2009). Family therapy: a systemic integration. (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Approaches to Family Therapy: Minuchin, Haley, Bowen, & Whitaker Treating families in therapy can be a complex undertaking for a therapist, as they are dealing not only with a group of individuals but also with an overall system. Throughout history several key theorists have attempted to demystify the challenges families face and construct approaches to treatment. However, there have been key similarities and differences among the theoretical orientations along the way. While some have simply broadened or expanded from existing theories, others have stood in stark

The second theory I would want to utilize would be a Solution Focused therapy for the parents. A solution-focused therapy approach helps the client establish goals for change. It is focused on empowerment and client’s strengths. It helps the client see that they have the ability within themselves to make the change. While using solution-focused therapy, the therapist helps the client change his or her perception about how change occurs. The therapist might point out how an issue was addressed in the past and encourage the client to recognize why attempts to solve the problem failed. The therapist would also help the clients access needed resources and put them to use in the appropriate areas in their lives. I feel that Maggie and Ray would

Experiential family therapy (EFT) was first developed in the 1960’s by physician and psychotherapy pioneer Carl Whitaker and is aimed at helping individual family members feel fulfilled and self-actualized within the family unit by means of improving cooperation and intimacy among family members. Unlike other schools of family therapy, EFT does not focus on the perceived problems of individual family members but examines how family interactions and communications cause problems for the individual family members. It is important to remember that, due to the level of interpersonal involvement needed in this style of therapy it requires every family member involved to fully participate in the process. For optimum effectiveness, the family should already be relatively stable.</p> Whitaker’s approach to EFT is known as the symbolic-experiential model. This model emphasizes immediate, here-and-now experiences rather than the introspective methods of earlier theories and promotes emotional expression as a medium of shared experience and as a means of both personal and family fulfillment. Symbolic-experiential family therapy is predicated on the existential idea that there is a great deal more to a family’s dynamics and existence than is empirically observable; unconscious dynamics, histories of shared and individual experiences, secrets, etc. This model attempts to integrate two different aspects of human experience; experience and “symbols.” Experience is what is taken in

An early designation of psychotherapies divided all types of psychotherapy into two major categories: insight-oriented therapy and action-oriented therapy (Woolley, Wampler, & Davis, 2012). This designation was made on the basis of the therapist's main focus in achieving positive change. An insight-oriented therapy focuses on assisting the client develop knowledge or awareness about themselves as a major focus of change. The insight itself leads to positive change in the client. Action-oriented therapies directly focus on changing some behavior as opposed to relying on self knowledge or awareness to facilitate the change. The designation is not mutually exclusive; in all action-oriented therapies some insight is gained and in all insight-oriented therapies there is some direct change of behavior. However, the designation is valid when determining the focus of the therapist regarding the main target of the therapeutic intervention.

Understanding that solution-focused therapists operate under the assumption that clients already have the necessary skills to solve their problems, it is our job as therapists to help them regain insight into their problems. Therefore, it is understandable why solution-focused therapy is considered a brief therapeutic approach. If the clients already have the ability to solve their own issues then they just need to be reminded of their strengths and resources, shifting the focus.