MFT Exam Study – Strategic + Structural Therapy

What is the core focus of Strategic Therapy?

Change behavior directly and focus on the present.

What key question does Strategic Therapy ask?

What is keeping this problem going right now?

What technique involves the therapist giving clear instructions in Strategic Therapy?

Directives.

What is a Paradoxical intervention in Strategic Therapy?

A client is told to do the problem.

What is meant by reframing in Strategic Therapy?

Changing the meaning of a behavior.

What is NOT a characteristic of Strategic Therapy?

Insight-based or focused on emotions.

What does Structural Therapy focus on?

Family structure, organization, power, roles, and patterns.

What three types of boundaries does Structural Therapy identify?

Rigid, diffuse, and healthy boundaries.

What is a key concept of Structural Therapy regarding family roles?

Parents should be in charge and manage hierarchy.

What is a cross-generational coalition in the context of Structural Therapy?

A coalition between a parent and child against the other parent.

What technique involves building trust in Structural Therapy?

Joining.

What technique is used when family members act out their interactions in therapy?

Enactment.

What happens during unbalancing in Structural Therapy?

Shifting power temporarily.

What is the clinical focus of a therapist using Strategic Therapy?

Identifying and interrupting patterns maintaining conflict.

When a therapist helps families manage emotional distance, which type of boundary issue is likely?

Rigid boundaries.

What is the primary difference in focus between Strategic and Structural Therapy?

Strategic focuses on behavior and action, while Structural focuses on family structure and roles.

What does a therapist emphasize in Psychodynamic Therapy?

Past experiences, insight, and childhood issues.

How does a therapist utilize the technique of unbalancing?

By aligning with one family member to shift the power dynamic.

In Structural Therapy, what is the purpose of boundary making?

Adjusting closeness and distance within the family.