EP90 Workshop 31 - Family Therapy - Salvador Minuchin, MD

Description:

This workshop will discuss the technique and theory of Family Therapy. Videotaped examples will be presented and discussed.

Educational Objectives:

1. To describe a framework for Family Therapy
2. To list three aspects of the therapeutic process 

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*

Outline:

Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference Introduction

• Overview of the morning session: showing a family therapy tape and exploring the rationale behind clinical maneuvers

• Emphasis on the complexity of family therapy and the importance of understanding the thinking behind expert interventions

Understanding Family Therapy Techniques

• Challenges the notion that family therapy is simple or easily imitable

• Advocates for teaching therapeutic reasoning over technique

• Uses a Mexican American family to illustrate family structure and anxiety symptoms in a 10-year-old girl

• Encourages hypotheses about symptom origin through exploration of family dynamics

Case Study: Hysterical Paralysis in a Family

• Describes a case involving an adolescent girl with hysterical paralysis and her family of four

• Notes the treatment occurred over 18 sessions, condensed into a short presentation

• Highlights cultural dislocation, symbolic function of symptoms, and time-limited intervention structure

Therapeutic Approach and Family Dynamics

• Focus on symbolic meaning of symptoms and creating cross-generational coalitions

• Strategy aimed at breaking enmeshment between mother and daughter

• Reinforces the importance of mutual influence within the family system over “miracle cures”

Therapeutic Process and Challenges

• Describes concrete therapeutic actions, including giving the girl a cane

• Emphasizes playfulness, hope, and persistence in the therapeutic process

• Addresses participant questions about symptoms and intervention choices

Therapeutic Techniques and Family Interactions

• Highlights the importance of concreteness and movement-based interventions

• Describes role assignments, such as involving the father more directly in treatment

• Uses boundary-setting and restructuring interactions as key methods

Addressing Marital Conflict and Family Dynamics

• Stresses the need to work on marital issues alongside the presenting symptom

• Therapist’s role includes redirecting attention to spousal dynamics and system-wide patterns

• Reinforces that symptom relief is tied to larger relational shifts

Therapeutic Outcomes and Follow-Up

• Reports improvement in the girl’s functioning and family dynamics

• Stresses importance of follow-up to ensure progress is sustained

• Highlights the therapist’s ongoing role in reinforcing healthy interactional patterns

Reflections on Therapeutic Practice

• Reflects on the evolving nature of therapy and adaptation to new models

• Underscores the consistent core: understanding systemic dynamics and facilitating relational change

• Emphasizes the therapist’s authority and responsibility in guiding change

Q&A and Participant Engagement

• Engages participants in discussion about the therapeutic rationale and outcomes

• Reinforces the need to understand family systems holistically

• Responds to clinical questions with detailed explanations of interventions and goals