MFT Green Book - CHAPTER 5: STRUCTURAL FAMILY THERAPY

Structural Family Therapy Founder

Salvador Minuchin

Primary Focus of Structural Therapy

Changing family structure and interaction patterns

Core Assumption of Structural Therapy

Problems arise from rigid or dysfunctional family structures

Structure

Covert organization/rules governing family transactions

Boundaries

Regulates proximity, participation, autonomy, and hierarchy

Rigid Boundaries Result

Disengagement

Diffuse Boundaries Result

Enmeshment

Clear Boundaries Result

Healthy balance of autonomy and connection

Enmeshment

Over-involvement with limited autonomy

Disengagement

Emotional distance and lack of involvement

Primary Goal of Treatment

Restructure family organization

Secondary Goal of Treatment

Improve boundaries and hierarchy

Role of Therapist

Active directive leader within the system

Joining

Therapist builds alliance and becomes part of the system

Mimesis

Therapist matches/mirrors family mood or behavior

Enactment

Family members act out interactions in session

Mapping

Diagram of family structure and relationships

Boundary Making

Altering boundaries to improve functioning

Unbalancing

Therapist takes sides to disrupt homeostasis

Intensity

Increasing intervention impact through affect, repetition, duration, tone, etc.

Shaping Competence

Highlighting and reinforcing family strengths

Challenging Assumptions

Changing family beliefs or narratives

Assessment in Structural Therapy

Occurs simultaneously with treatment

Healthy Family Structure

Clear boundaries flexible roles effective hierarchy

Coalition

Two family members align against a third

Detouring

Conflict between two people is redirected onto a third

Rigid triad

Child becomes chronically caught in parental conflict