THEORIES OF FAMILY THERAPY
SWKG/570
3 Credits
Fall 2007
Rick Cote', MSW
AAMFT Approved Supervisor
The best way to get a hold of me outside of class is email. My address is
Recote74@msn.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introduction to contemporary theories, perspectives,
procedures and techniques of family therapy. The course is intended for the graduate
student or practicing professional with a background in social work, psychology or
another helping discipline but without extensive theoretical or practice background in
family therapy.
COURSE RATIONALE: Current trends in social work and counseling have
emphasized the developing importance of family therapy to the growth, adjustment and
problem solving capacity of individuals. In addition, the family has been identified as a
major mediating structure between individuals and large social systems. This course will
set the necessary theoretical foundation for professionals required to deal with families
either through direct or indirect interventions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Describe the historical development of family therapy
2. Analyze and synthesize the major theories and models of family therapy
3. Assess a given family's internal dynamics within socialcultural, racial and systemic
context.
4. Formulate appropriate treatment plans grounded in theory.
5. Appreciate the policy implications of family therapy practice
6. Apply some family therapy techniques
CONTENT AREAS:
1. Family theory
2. Family as a holon (systemic context)
3. Family as a transmitter and symbolic expression of culture, values and race
4. Gender and sexual preference considerations in understanding families and family
therapy.
5. Historical development of family therapy
6. Family therapy theories
7. Family therapy techniques
8. Communication patterns in families
MY RATIONALE:
Family therapy has been where the radicals and innovators of the direct practice field
reside. Even when they were well known and highly identified as social workers (like
Michael White, Harry Aponte and Virginia Satir) it was still the family therapy arena that
spawned and nurtured their work.
Just as psychoanalysis was adopted largely by the discipline of psychiatry and behavioral
therapy by the discipline of psychology, family therapy identifies itself with social work
through a mutual attention to systems. It provides to the clinical social worker the
theoretical frame much as psychoanalysis does to psychiatry. Even more so is the
movement to post structural approaches and with it the move to "strength based
approaches" so commonly embraced at this school. Even though it is "embraced", few
students know what these ideas are based on and the history of these ideas. This class is
intended to fix that gap.
The work of family therapy does reach beyond the clinical focus through a richer
understanding of systems and family communications. As such, I would argue that
family therapy should stand at the center of social work education.
PLAGIARISM
It is with a heavy heart that I have to discuss this at all. However recent events in this
and other classes make it necessary. We all come from diverse backgrounds and our
paths to this point in time in graduate school have come from many paths. Standards
concerning plagiarism easily might have been different.
Plagiarism means passing off others ideas as your own. If you copy what someone else
wrote then you have to be very clear who wrote this and where the original source is.
Quotes, in general, should be relatively brief and used to augment your ideas.
If you are caught plagiarizing in a paper, EWU Social Work Department has agreed there
are three possible responses. One is giving a zero on the paper. Second is flunking the
class and three is the possibility of suspension from the school. As you can see by those
actions in academic circles, plagiarism is a very serious offense.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Paper/Diagram of your genogram of your personal family of origin. Also a genogram
of a preferred trait
30 points
Due night of Oct 23th
2. Paper on a particular family therapy school. Identifying it within the "three waves”
with a summary of some of its central thoughts. Usually it is between 8 - 12 pages.
40 points
Due night of Nov 27th
3. Exams. There will be a final exam at the end of the quarter.
Assignment #1 Genograms
I would like you to draw as complete a genogram on your family of origin as possible
(three generations, at least). McGoldrick book is a critical reference on this. Make sure
you include dates, relationships, and localities along with relational information like
fusion, cutoffs and conflictual relationships; identified client and who is in the family..
Include a short narrative to fill out the story.
Make a second genogram following the trail of some preferred trait, perhaps one that has
become highlighted for you in the pursuit of being a social worker. Traits commonly
done are compassion, courage, caring, etc. This genogram will be smaller likely than the
first one and even perhaps include critical relationships not on the original one. If say,
compassion was passed along in a will, the genogram should show where this inheritance
went and to whom. Again a short narrative is helpful.
Assignment #2 Particular school of thought
I would like you to look further into a school of thought that you are interested in. Some
that have been done in the past include Structural, Strategic, Bowen Family of Origin,
Contextual (Nagy), Solution Focused (DeShazer), Narrative (White), Collaborative
(Goolishian/Anderson), Milan, and Satir. You could do some other theorist but I would
like you to clear that with me first; if however you pick one of those listed then no preapproval is necessary.
I would like a description of the basic theoretical tenants of the approach, an example of
how they conceptualize change happens, list some of the basic techniques and a
discussion of the politics of the particular approach.
Assignment 3#. Exams
I have not historically given exams in my classes and I do not believe it is a common
practice in our department. However the focus of this class is theory; to learn some of the
common theories of family therapy so we might be able to in later classes apply that
theory to the people we work with. The test will be on the Nichols and Hoffman book. I
feel I need to know that you have done such readings and grasped the overall ideas
presented. It would seem that an exam would be one of the ways to assure that goal.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
McGoldrick, M. et.al (1999) Genograms: Assessments and Interventions, WW Norton
Nichols & Swartz (2001) Concepts and Methods, 5th Ed., Allyn and Bacon
Hoffman, Lynn (2001) Family Therapy: an Intimate History, WW Norton
CLASS SCHEDULE
Oct 2nd
Therapy
Introduction, Three Waves of Psychotherapy, Appreciations of Family
Oct. 9th
Beginning Giants, Bateson, MRI, Virginia Satir
Tape: Carl Whitaker
Oct 16th
FOO with focus on Bowen
Tape: Donald Williamson
Oct. 23rd
Structural Family Therapy
Tape: Saul Minuchen
Genograms due
Oct 30th
Milan Group
Tape: Boscolo
Nov 6th
Three Pillars revisited, Post Structural Theory
Tape: Lynn Hoffman
Nov 13th
Narrative
Tape: David Epstein
Nov 20th
Class cancelled—Thanksgiving
Nov 27th
Solution Focus Therapy
Tape: Steve DeShazier about Wittenstein
Paper Due
Dec 4th
Collaborative Therapy
Tape: Harlene Anderson
Take Home Final Exam
Dec 11th
Take Home Exam due
BIBLIOGRAPHY
This list is not intended to be extensive, but rather personal--these are materials that the
instructor has read and felt was personally useful. I would like if you come across
material during the class that you find helpful, that you give me a bibliography note and it
will be included in the next class's bibliography along with being shared with the present
class. That way over time this section will grow through the lens of the people taking the
class and their personal views of the worthiness of certain materials.
Anderson, Harlene ( 1997) Conversation, Language, and Possibilities, Basic Books
Anderson, Tom (Ed.) (1987) The Reflecting Team, WW Norton
Andolfi, M. (1979) Family Therapy: an Interactional Approach, Plenum Pub
Aponte, Harry (1996) Bread and Spirit: Therapy with the New Poor: Diversity of Race,
Culture and Values. WW Norton
Attneave, C & Speck, R. (1973) Family Networks: A Way Towards Retribalization.
Pantheon Books
Bachelard, G. (1994) The Poetics of Space, Beacon Press
Bateson, G. (1972) Steps to an Ecology of Mind, Ballantine Books
Berglund, Gustaf & Abrahamsson, Erik (2000) Creative Conversations: meetings with
family therapists and their ideas, Mareld Books
Bird, Johnella (2000) The Heart's Narrative, Edge Press
Boyd-Franklin, N. (1989) Black Families in Therapy-A Multisystems Approach, Guilford
Boscolo, L. et al (1987) Milan Systemic Family Therapy: Conversations in Theory and
Practice, Basic Books
Boszormenyi-Nagy, I. (1984) Invisible Loyalties, Brunner/Mazel
Conroy, Pat. (1987) The Great Santini, Bantam Books
Conroy, Pat (1987) The Prince of Tides, Doubleday
DeShazier, S. (1991) Putting Differences to Work. WW Norton
DeShazier, S. (1994) Words Were Originally Magic. WW Norton
Foucault, M. (1965) The History of Madness, Pantheon Books
Foucault, M. (1972) The Archeology of Knowledge, Harper
Foucault, M. (1978) The History of Sexuality, Pantheon Books
Freedman, J. & Combs, G. (1996) Narrative Therapy: The Social Construction of
Preferred Realities. WW Norton
Freeman J., Epston D. and Lobovities, D. (1997) Playful Approaches to Serious
Problems. WW Norton
Gilligan, S. (1987) Therapeutic Trances: The Cooperative Principal in Ericksonian
Hypnotherapy, Brunner-Mazel
Gurman, A (ed). (1985) A Casebook of Marital Therapy, Guilford Press
Haley, Jay (1991) Problem Solving Therapy, Jossey-Mazel
Haley, Jay (1997) Leaving Home: the Therapy of Disturbed Young People
Brunner/Mazel
Hoffman, L (1995) Exchanging Voices: A Collaborative Approach to Family Therapy,
Karnac Books
Hoffman, L (1981) Foundations of Family Therapy, Basic Books
Hoffman, L. (1998) Setting aside the model in family therapy, Journal of Marital and
Family Therapy, 24 (2) 145-156
Imber-Black, E., Roberts, J and Whiting, R (1988) Rituals in Family Therapy WW
Norton
Kerr, M & Bowen, M. (1988) Family Evaluation: An Approach Based on Bowen Theory,
WW Norton
Lankton, S. (1986) Enchantment and Intervention in Family Therapy: Training in
Ericksonian Approaches Brunner/Mazel
Madanes, C., (1984) Behind the one way mirror Jossey-Bass
Madanes, Cloe, (1995) The Violence of Men: New Techniques for Working with Abusive
Families: A Therapy of Social Action, Jossey-Bass
McGoldrick, M., Anderson, C., Walsh, F. (1989) Women in Families: A Framework for
Family Therapy, WW Norton
McGoldrck, M. (1996) Ethnicity and Family Therapy, Guilford Press
Minuchin, S. (1974) Families and Family Therapy, Harvard University Press
Minuchin, S. and Fishman, H. (1981) Family Therapy Techniques, Harvard University
Press
Morgan, Alice. (2000) What is Narrative Therapy, Dulwich Centre Press
Napier, A & Whitaker, C. (1988) The Family Crucible: The Intense Experience of Family
Therapy, HarperCollins
Nervin, W. & Satir, V. (1986) Family Reconstruction: A Long Days Journey into Light,
WW Norton
Nichols, M. & Schwartz, R. (1998) Family Therapy Concepts and Methods, Allyn and
Bacon
O'Hanlon, W. & Wiener-Davis, M. (1989) In Search of Solutions-A New Direction in
Psychotherapy, WW Norton
Papp, P. (1984) The Process of Change Guilford Press
Pittman, F. (1987) Turning Points: Treating Families in Transition and Crisis, WW
Norton
Price, Jerome (1996) Power and Compassion: Working with Difficult Adolescents and
Abused Parents, Guilford Press
Price, R. & Gilligan, S. (eds) (1993) Therapeutic Conversations, WW Norton
Satir, V. (1972) Peoplemaking, Science and Behavior Books
Satir, V. (1983) Conjoint Family Therapy, Science and Behavior Books
Selvini Palazzoli, M. et al (1995) Paradox and Counter Paradox: A New Model in the
Therapy of the Family in Schizophrenic Transaction, Jason Aronson
Speck, R. & Attneave, C. (1973) Family Networks, Pantheon Books
Visher, E. & Visher, J. (1979) Stepfamilies: A Guide to Working with Stepparents and
Stepchildren, Brunner/Mazel
Walters, Marianne, et.al (1992) The Invisible Web: Gender Patterns in Family Therapy,
Guilford Press
Watzlawick, P., et al, Change; Principals of Problem Formation and Problem
Resolution. WW Norton
Watlawick, P. (1993) The Situation Is Hopeless but Not Serious (The Pursuit of
Unhappiness) WW Norton
Williamson, D. (1991) The Intimacy Paradox: Personal Authority in the Family System,
Guilford Press
Whitaker, C. (1989) Midnight Musings of a Family Therapist, WW Norton
White, M. & Epston, D. (1990) Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends, WW Norton
White, M. (1998) Narratives of Therapists Lives, Dulwich Centre Press