Family Therapy Glossary

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A process from Structural Family Therapy by which a family therapist adjusts and modifies one's role during a clinical session to feeback received from the family system in order to achieve joining.

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ACCOMMODATION

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A concept that identifies the affiliations between two or more family members, based on common interests or shared beliefs, but without the intent to keep others out; or simply, an attraction by certain members within a subgroup.

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ALLIANCE

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As the complement of pragmatics, this term refers to a sensitivity toward holism, complexity, and the larger patterns that connect family members. Therapy = an art and focuses more on patterns and holism and less on techniques.

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AESTHETICS

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A concept from Narrative Family Therapy which defines the meaning ascribed to a "lived experience" by a family member that contradicts or falls outside of the family member's or family's dominant narrative.

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ALTERNATIVE STORY

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A form of communication which consists of quantities and differences. It has connotative (as opposed to denotative) meaning, and consists not of words, but of the nonverbal, paraverbal, and contextual aspects of interaction. Process rather than content.

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ANALOGIC

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A clinical goal, developed in Symbolic-experiential Family Therapy, to get the family to take responsibility for what happens in the therapy process. The therapist must allow the family to take responsibility for change in therapy by shifting the responsibility for agenda-making and the initiation of change to the family.

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BATTLE FOR INITIATIVE

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A clinical goal, developed in Symbolic-experiential Family Therapy, to establish the necessary ground rules or structure for therapy with a family. Examples include which members should attend the first session and how the therapy process whould proceed. The therapist must "win" this battle in order to establish a trustworthy therapeutic relationship.

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BATTLE FOR STRUCTURE

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A clinical model which utilizes learning theory and is often integrated with resources from cognitive therapy. It begins with a problem analysis to: 1) pinpoint specific behaviors that are causing distress; 2) prioritize the range of problems; and 3) determine the frequency of problem behavior. The family therapist then redefines the problems at a family systems level to define the antecedents and consequences. The goal is to define the problem in overt behavioral terms and then to develop achievable goals with problem-solving solutions in which all family members can participate.

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BEHAVIORAL FAMILY THERAPY

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A clinical process which describes a cluster of symptoms associated with the Borderline Personality Disorder, but which occur, not just in the diagnosed individual, but are present and identifiable throughout several generations of a family system. The patterns which appear include splitting and reciprocal projective identification among family members, typically children in coexisting triangles, such that one child is perceived as good (good object) and another as bad (bad object).

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BORDERLINE PROCESS

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A concept, developed in Structural Family Therapy, which identifies abstract dividers that are present between family subsystems. They may be defined spatially by the way family members align structurally with one another. They are set by the implicit rules defining who participates, and how, within each subsystem. They may be altered over time as the nature of the subsystems and the family's environment changes. Rigid, flexible, diffuse, open or closed.

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BOUNDARIES

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A clinical model directed toward quick problem resolution with the goal of helping family members change their responses to specific problems. Time-limited, pragmatic, nonhistorical, step-by-step strategic approach based on an understanding of family behavior which suggests that most problems result from the mishandling of normal life difficulties. The therapist's role is to discover what keeps the problematic behavior persisting and what is needed to change it.

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BRIEF FAMILY THERAPY

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This clinical pattern describes a process of "binding" family members tightly and rigidly within an isolating family system.

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CENTRIPETAL FAMILY PATTERN

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This clinical pattern describes a process of "expelling" family members early and forcefully from the family system, particularly at the stage of adolescent separation.

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CENTRIFUGAL FAMILY PATTERN

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This clinical pattern describes a process of "expelling" family members early and forcefully from the family system, particularly at the stage of adolescent separation.

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CENTRIFUGAL FAMILY PATTERN

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This clinical pattern describes a process of "expelling" family members early and forcefully from the family system, particularly at the stage of adolescent separation.

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CENTRIFUGAL FAMILY PATTERN

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A concept from systems theory which refers to the non-linear, recursive nature of the interation in family systems, where the behavior of one component effects the behavior of a second component which effects the behavior of a third which, reciprocally, effects the behavior of the first component. This process implies that behavior may be based as much on the interactional dynamics of a system as on the internal psychological processes of each member.

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CIRCULAR CAUSALITY

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A concept from systems theory which refers to the non-linear, recursive nature of the interation in family systems, where the behavior of one component effects the behavior of a second component which effects the behavior of a third which, reciprocally, effects the behavior of the first component. This process implies that behavior may be based as much on the interactional dynamics of a system as on the internal psychological processes of each member.

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CIRCULAR CAUSALITY

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A concept from systems theory which refers to the non-linear, recursive nature of the interation in family systems, where the behavior of one component effects the behavior of a second component which effects the behavior of a third which, reciprocally, effects the behavior of the first component. This process implies that behavior may be based as much on the interactional dynamics of a system as on the internal psychological processes of each member.

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CIRCULAR CAUSALITY

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A clinical technique, developed by the Milan group of family therapists, which describes a goal of eliciting differences in perceptions about events, problems, and/or relationships from each family member. It is based on the premise that family members frequently describe a problem in terms that are often too broad or too narrow.

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CIRCULAR QUESTIONING

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A clinical technique, developed by the Milan group of family therapists, which describes a goal of eliciting differences in perceptions about events, problems, and/or relationships from each family member. It is based on the premise that family members frequently describe a problem in terms that are often too broad or too narrow.

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CIRCULAR QUESTIONING

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A clinical technique, developed by the Milan group of family therapists, which describes a goal of eliciting differences in perceptions about events, problems, and/or relationships from each family member. It is based on the premise that family members frequently describe a problem in terms that are often too broad or too narrow.

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CIRCULAR QUESTIONING

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A concept which describes family systems which are self-contained and often isolated by their limited use of feedback. This type of family system is often organized to preserve its status quo and to resist change.

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CLOSED SYSTEMS

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A concept which describes family systems which are self-contained and often isolated by their limited use of feedback. This type of family system is often organized to preserve its status quo and to resist change.

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CLOSED SYSTEMS

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A concept which describes family systems which are self-contained and often isolated by their limited use of feedback. This type of family system is often organized to preserve its status quo and to resist change.

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CLOSED SYSTEMS

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A role of a family therapist, developed initially by Murray Bowen, where one functions both as a role model for individual family members in their differentiation process and as a facilitator of family of origin exploration. The therapist encourages the family members to work on solving their own problems rather than functioning in the role of an "expert."

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COACH

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A role of a family therapist, developed initially by Murray Bowen, where one functions both as a role model for individual family members in their differentiation process and as a facilitator of family of origin exploration. The therapist encourages the family members to work on solving their own problems rather than functioning in the role of an "expert."

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COACH

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A role of a family therapist, developed initially by Murray Bowen, where one functions both as a role model for individual family members in their differentiation process and as a facilitator of family of origin exploration. The therapist encourages the family members to work on solving their own problems rather than functioning in the role of an "expert."

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COACH