Strategic Family Therapy and EMDR

摘要

Strategic Family Therapy which basically stems from communication theory was originally developed in the 1950's by a handful of visionaries at MRI (Mental Research Institute) in Palo Alto, California. The basic concern of Strategic Family Therapy was to promote change in the family system and to help clients eliminate identified problems, alter the family structure and power distribution especially within family interactional patterns (Watzlawick, Weakland, Fisch, 1974; Fisch and Weakland, 1991).Family interactional patterns consist of several circular behavioral sequences and they frequently reflect unsuccessful problem solving efforts of the family (Kaslow, 2007). In order to eliminate the problem, the family has to change those problem-maintaining family interactional patterns and learn how to use power as a means of taking care of other family members, comforting them and guiding them (Madanes, 1982).