HELPING ADULT CLIENTS
“GROW UP” IN THEIR
FAMILIES OF ORIGIN
Ruth Wetherford, PhD
June 28, 2011
Division 42 Virtual Happy Hour
Basic Concepts
Focus: Instead of trying
to change family
members, we change
our own reactions to
family interactions and
situations. Our goal is
personal authority in the
family.
Basic Concepts
Personal Authority: A
pattern of abilities which
enables one to assume
responsibility for the totality
of his/her experiences with
life; to experience and relate
to all others as peers, not
higher or lower on a
hierarchy of authority; to
initiate, receive or decline
intimacy.
PA = DS + I
Personal Authority Combines
Differentiation of Self with Intimacy
Differentiation of Self in the family is the
ability to know what one feels and thinks
about every important thing in the family,
separate from social pressure.
Intimacy is the ability to share the meaning
of one’s life experiences with another
person, assuming the other is accepting and
non-critical enough to be emotionally safe.
Intimacy includes the ability to recognize
when others are not safe and to choose when
to not reveal.
With personal authority we can be
ourselves and stay connected to family
members.
THE METHOD:
1. STUDY THE FAMILY, learning
about client’s relationships with each
member.
2. IDENTIFY THE PATTERN of
repeating sequences of interactions
of client’s triangles.
3. IDENTIFY THE GOAL for client’s
emotional and behavioral change.
4. PLAN THE STRATEGY for
client’s de-triangulations, always
moving toward the goal.
5. ANTICIPATE/PLAN for family
pressure to change back.
6. UTILIZE humor and compassion
for self and others. Keep it positive.
References
•
Murray Bowen, M.D. Family Therapy in
Clinical Practice, Jason Aronson, 1978.
•
James Framo, Ph.D. Family-of-Origin
Therapy: An Intergenerational Approach,
Brunner/Masel, 1992.
•
Donald S. Williamson, Ph.D. The
Intimacy Paradox; Personal Authority in
the Family System, Guilford Press, 1991.
•
Donald S. Williamson, Ph.D., James H.
Bray, Ph.D., Paul E. Malone, Ph.D. PAFSQ: Personal Authority in the Family
System Questionnaire. To order, contact
James Bray, Ph.D. 3701 Kirby Drive 6th
Floor, Houston TX 77098. (713)798-7751.
References
•
Ellen Wachtel, Ph.D. and Paul
Wachtel, Ph.D. Family Dynamics in
Individual Psychotherapy: A Guide
to Clinical Strategies. Guilford Press,
1991.
•
Patrick Gannon, Ph.D.
www.peakperformance101.com for a
description of “cardio imagery and
rehearsal”
•
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Richard
Mendius, M.D.. Buddha’s Brain: The
Practical Neuroscience of Happiness,
Love and Wisdom, New Harbinger,
2009, for conscious stress-reduction.
THANK YOU
DR. RUTH WETHERFORD
220 MONTGOMERY ST. SUITE 400
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104
www.drruthwetherford.com
415-397-2282