Experiential Family Therapy Case Study

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Model of Family Therapy

The Experiential Family Therapy model is a theory that was developed by the practitioners of Carl, Whitaker, Walter Kempler and Virginia Satir. With the Experiential Family Therapy Model, the goal of the therapist is to catalyze the natural drive of the family to reach growth and the full potential of the individual members of the family. Still, the individual practitioners allowed their personality to be instrumental in the success of their unique forms of Experimental Family Therapy, although their focus and goals were similar (Goldberg, 2013). Because of the importance of the individual personality in the success of a model, Whitaker’s Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy (S-EFT) was selected and will be argued for
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A therapist’s authentic use of self is essential to promote the connection with the clients in a unique and specific manner. Being authentic will allow the therapist to forgo the professional pretenses and boundaries to stay in immediate touch with what the family is experiencing (Gehart 2013; Goldberg, 2013). Also the therapist would need to execute personal integrity and stand up for their own personal beliefs. This can continue the authenticity of the therapist and continue the humanistic qualities that are crucial to the theory. Very importantly, the therapist will push for personal responsibility for the clients. The therapist would expect that just as the therapist is responsible for his/her own life, they too have to be responsible for the effort and endurance to reach personal insight or progress in …show more content…
According to the Case Scenario, the family came to therapy to address concerns for the older child, Samuel. The family is worried about Samuel’s recent school performance and deceased participation in the family. There are addition presenting issues with Mark, the husband of Lisa and father to the two youngest children, and his presented issues of drinking and distance from the family. Lisa, the wife and mother of all three children, feels rejected and is wants a positive change in the family. Samuel is free-thinking teenager that goes against the establishment whenever possible, which includes building a relationship with Mark and the family religion of

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