marriage and family therapy

evolution of family therapy

family therapy moved from individual models to systemic thinking

historical shift of MFT

therapy moved from focusing on individual’s pathology to looking at family systems as interconnected units

clinical forerunners of MFT

psychiatry

group dynamics

child guidance work

early research on schizophrenia influenced FT birth

pioneers of MFT

Murray Bowen

Don Jackson and Jay Haley

Nathan Ackerman

Salvador Minuchin

Murray Bowen

systems and multigenerational patterns

Don Jackson and Jay Haley

communication and strategic models

Nathan Ackerman

family emotional therapy

Salvador Minuchin

structural therapy

fundamental concepts of family therapy

introduces theoretical and conceptual frameworks used across models

systems theory

families are viewed as interconnected systems where changes in one part affect the whole

cybernetics

study of feedback and control in systems - how families maintain stability through patters

social constructionism & narrative

focus on how shared meanings and stories shape family life

attachment theory

emotional bonds influence functioning and resilience

process vs content

distinguishes how interactions occur (process) and what is said (content)

genograms

a tool to map relationships, patterns, and generational influences

basic techniques of MFT

outlines practical clinical skills for working with families

joining and engagement

building a therapist-family connection to support change

assessment

identifying family structure, interaction patterns, roles, and boundaries

genograms and ecomaps

tools to visualize relationships, stressors, and influence patterns

communication analysis

exploring how family members talk, misunderstand, or avoid issues

problem framing and goals of treatment

defining what needs to change - and what constitutes successful therapy

Bowen family systems therapy

explores Bowen’s multigenerational family systems model, a major systemic approach

systems thinking

focus on the entire family system across generations, not just presenting symptoms

differentiation of self

ability to balance emotional closeness with autonomy - central to Bowenian theory

8 core concepts of Bowen’s theory

differentiation

triangles (three-person emotional systems)

nuclear family emotional process

family projection process

multigenerational transmission processes

emotional cutoff

sibling position

societal emotional process

therapeutic focus

reducing emotional reactivity and increasing self-differentiation

psychoanalytic family therapy

examines psychoanalytic concepts integrated with FT

Freudian drive theory

focuses on unconscious internal conflicts (libido, aggression)

object relations

how early attachment and internalized relationships shape family therapy

self psychology

emphasizes empathy and self-cohesion in relationships

therapeutic focus

understanding how unconscious processes impact family patterns and interactions

defense mechanisms

how individuals and families protect against anxiety and internal conflict

application

used less intensively than systems approached but can enrich understanding of deep emotional processes in families