MFT – Experiential Techniques – Flashcards

Therapist models communication by: 1. Speaking in the first person by communicating and responding with "I" messages, 2. Therapist must express thoughts and feelings directly while avoiding statements or declarations about what others may think or feel, 3. Therapist must be honest with others.

A charting technique that involves three generations of the family system, including birth dates, dates of important family events, and dates of important historical events. It allows the therapist to get a sense of the context in which symptoms emerge as well as the characteristic intergenerational patterns. Used as preparation for family sculpting and family reconstruction.

creating a sculpture of the family at a particular point in time Family members are asked to silently place each person in a position that symbolizes their role in the family system from the sculptor's perspective, with each family member sculpting from their viewpoint. Placement of people highlights the family's strengths, dysfunctions, possibilities for change, and new meanings, as well as each member's perspective on the system After the initial sculpting, family members share thoughts and feelings o Finally, family members sculpt their desired picture of the relationships

Used to communicate ideas that language cannot directly describe or to introduce threatening material. Storytelling is also considered a form of metaphor. Assists in externalizing internal processes and identifying relational dynamics

An innermost circle with the words "I am" and eight concentric circles arranged in the following order: physical, intellectual, emotional, sensual, interactional, nutritional, contextual, and spiritual. Used to represent a person's resources and to demonstrate their systemic, interconnected nature. Serves as a metaphor for concepts and therapeutic goals such as connection and congruence.

actors act out specific parts of the client's personality to assist in acknowledging one's wholeness and parts. Typically done in a group format with 15-40 people. Five step process: 1 identifying and preparing the host (primary client), 2 - presenting and describing the parts, 3 - developing conflict between the parts, 4 - integrating resolution from the conflict, 5 - integrating the parts

focuses on the pattern or sequence of our internal mental and emotional steps through which we process messages. Client explores their internal process when interacting with others to assist in altering coping patterns, strengthening self-worth, and reducing defensiveness. Six questions to increase awareness and explore one's interactions: 1 - What do I hear and see? 2 - What meaning do I make of what I hear and see? 3 - What feelings do I have about the meaning I make? 4 - What feelings do I have about these feelings? 5 - What defense do I use? 6 - What rules for commenting do I use?

Three steps in transforming relational rules into more functional guidelines:1 - Change the should to a can, 2 - Expand from never to sometimes, 3 - Identify possibilities of I can

setting aside a time each day to check in with other family members. Client and/or family share specific information to improve communication and self-worth concerning: Appreciations and excitements, Worries, concerns, and puzzlements, Complaints and possible solutions, New information, Hopes and wishes

Family shares its "life story", typically in a large-group setting. Sculpting the family of origin, Sculpting mother and father's family or origin, Sculpting parents' meeting and marriage, re-sculpting the family of origin

therapist's responsibility to establish the rules and working atmosphere at the beginning of treatment

the family must take initiative for change after structure is established.

shifts the tension and anxiety while encouraging cohesion, avoiding blame, and demanding a group solution.

focuses on positive anxiety (fear of failing to accomplish what one is capable of) by positively reframing symptoms as efforts towards competence and by overtly addressing the life-cycle transitions each family member is facing. More likely to stimulate growth than negative anxiety (fear of harm)

in order to expand the family's sense of freedom, symptoms are redefined as efforts towards growth. Metaphors or stories are often used to do this

Two ways to use this: Actual stressful situations are discussed in fantasy or "what if..." terms, thus breaching the silence taboo. De-emphasize stressful events by suggesting absurd fantasy alternatives

therapist and client distinguish actual relational problems from individual reactivity to these problems.

therapist confronts the family with their own subjective experience of working with the family