Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy – Flashcards

Designed to improve relationships and communication within the family structure by addressing a person's actions, emotions, and perceptions as they relate to that person's dynamic within the family unit

Raising self-esteem; Becoming a choice maker; Becoming responsible; Becoming congruent

Experiential; Systemic; Positively directional; Change focused; Self of the therapist/congruence

The client is experiencing the impact of a past event in the present. As well, and at the same time, the client is experiencing his/her own positive Life Energy in the present.

Therapy must work within the intrapsychic and interactive systems in which the client experiences his/her life. The intrapsychic system includes the emotions, perceptions, expectations, yearnings and spiritual energy of the individual, all of which interact with each other in a systemic manner. The interactive systems include the relationships, both past and present, that the person has experienced in his/her life. The two systems interact with each other. A change in one impacts the other. However, transformational change is an energetic shift in the intrapsychic system which then changes the interactive systems.

The therapist actively engages with the client to help reframe perceptions, generate possibilities, hear the positive message of universal yearnings, and connect the client to his/her positive Life Energy. The focus is on health and possibilities, appreciating resources and anticipating growth rather than on pathologizing or problem solving.

As the focus of Satir therapy is on transformational change, the process questions asked throughout the entire therapy session are change related. Questions such as "What would have to change for you to forgive yourself?" give the client an opportunity to explore uncharted waters inside of their own intrapsychic system.

The congruence of the therapist is essential for clients to access their own spiritual Life Energy. When therapists are congruent, clients experience them as caring, accepting, hopeful, interested, genuine, authentic and actively engaged. Therapists' use of their own creative Life Energy in the form of metaphor, humor, self-disclosure, sculpting, and many other creative interventions also comes from the connection that therapists have to their own spiritual Self when in a congruent state.

Presenting therapy in such a way that those in treatment are able to experience the effects of past events in the present while simultaneously experiencing their Life Energy. As an individual experiences both the negative energy from the past and the positive energy from the Life Force, an energetic shift may take place.

Refers to the necessity of treatment addressing both the intrapsychic and interactive systems of the person in therapy. As these systems are able to impact each other, when a transformational change or energetic shift occurs in the intrapsychic system it will typically produce a positive change in the interactive system.

Describes the focus placed on health, growth, and hope. More specifically, therapy is thought to help the person in treatment connect with positive Life Force and experience the happiness and peace believed to result from the connection.

The foundational belief that people always do their best in any given situation may not be true of some individuals who, for example, did not utilize all opportunities available though they indicated they were capable of doing so. The approach may not be beneficial to all people. Individuals experiencing severe, chronic mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and individuals with cognitive impairments may not find lasting relief from this form of treatment. The approach also lacks conclusive empirical support regarding its effectiveness, and future studies may lend more support to its efficacy.