Experiential

EXPERIENTIAL THERAPY

THEORISTS: CARL WHITAKER AND VIRGINIA SATIR

Experiential models are outgrowths of the techniques of Gestalt therapy, psychodrama, and Rogers’ client-centered therapy. Philosophically, the experiential models derive from a humanistic, existential view of humankind. Emotional experience (spontaneous, creative experience) is emphasized over intellectual reasoning. Experiential therapists are known for a high degree of authenticity and self-disclosure. Experiential therapists emphasize here-and-now experiences and view individual growth, freedom of action, and open expression of affect as both necessary for symptom reduction and as the measure of psychological health.  

GOALS

• To establish the client’s sense of growth and belonging
• Initial focus is on the presenting problem and helping the client to gain relief from the symptoms
• Therapist uses open communication and emotional experiencing in order to unblock honest emotional expression and provide the client with the freedom to individuate

• Ultimate goal is interactional insight and improved connection with extended family and the family of origin

TERMS

• Battle for structure (Whitaker)
  • Therapist assumes position of leadership, establishes rules, working atmosphere, and decides who will be present in sessions. The therapist must “win” this battle.         
• Battle for initiative  (Whitaker)
  • Family takes the initiative for change after the structure has been established, i.e., the responsibility of treatment outcome belongs to the family. Family must “win” this battle.
• Craziness (Whitaker)
  • A concept in which the therapist is creative, spontaneous, uses fantasy freely, and is “mature enough to be immature” when it serves the therapy.
  • Incorporates highly provocative techniques or interventions intended to create turmoil, turn up the emotional temperature, and intensify what is going on here-and-now in the family.
  • May include play, humor, drama, or anything else that makes sense with the family.
  • Encouraged as a means to discovering solutions and promoting growth.
• Bilateral Transference
  • The technique used by the therapist in order to join by adopting the language, accent, rhythm, or posture of the family.
• As If Structure
  • Family members act out as if they were in the role of the others. This allows family members to freely experiment, so long as they understand that this simulation is symbolic.
• Family Life Chronology (Satir)
  • A technique used to depict and chart important life events of a family; includes three complete generations, including birth dates, dates of family events, and the history of the family.
• Family Sculpting (Satir)
  • A psychodramatic process in which the family members direct the other members in an enactment or structure depicting an event, feeling, or family structure.
  • Developed to help people take responsibility for themselves.
• Parts Party (Satir)
  • A therapeutic technique that assists clients in recognizing the different parts of their personalities and how those parts work cohesively to form their identities.
• Temperature Reading (Satir)
  • A therapeutic technique in which family members discuss their hopes and desires each day between sessions. Includes sharing specific information, such as:
• Worries and concerns
  • Hopes and wishes
  • Appreciations and excitements
• Metaphor (Satir)
  • Used to communicate ideas that language cannot directly describe.
  • Often utilized in order to introduce threatening material.
•  Placating (Satir)
  • One of Satir’s five levels of communication/survival stances.
  • A person seeking approval and wanting to please others by soothing, mediating, being nice, being protective, and defending others gently. This person will disregard his/her own feelings and say yes to everything.
• Avoiding (Distracting/Irrelevant) (Satir)
  • One of Satir’s five levels of communication/survival stances.
  • A person who reflects unrelated and distracting behaviors by being quiet, pretending not to understand, changing the subject, playing weak, and playing helpless and pretending the problem doesn’t exist.
•  Blaming (Satir)
  • One of Satir’s five levels of communication/survival stances.
  • A person acts as if he/she knows it all and acts out by judging, bullying, comparing, and complaining, displaying as dominant, loud, and violent in order to ward off a perceived threat.
• Computing (Super Reasonable) (Satir)
  • One of Satir’s five levels of communication/survival stances.
  • An individual is computer-like, rigid, and devoid of feelings using logic, lecturing and intellectual rationalization.
• Leveling (Satir)
  • One of Satir’s five levels of communication/survival stances.
  • Note: Only functional communication style.
  • An individual who is honest, genuine, appropriate to the situation, and verbally and nonverbally consistent.

ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT

• “There are no techniques, only people”
• Assessment is unstructured, informal, and occurs naturally as the therapist gets to know the family members
• Assessment considers contexts from extended family and/or community to identified patient
• Emphasis on emotional expression; family members need to learn how to access their own emotions and feelings
• Treatment derives from the belief that people are naturally creative, loving, and productive if free from constraint
• Satir emphasizes that human beings have goodness, resourcefulness, and tendencies for self-actualization
• The whole system must participate if change is to be meaningful; treatment includes the largest system available
• An important aspect of treatment is the therapist’s own responses, including his/her level of anxiety, physical sensations and reactions
• Therapist attempts to increase the level of stress
  • When the therapist defines the symptom as a family problem or identifies a problem other than the presenting problem, the stress level increases

• Therapist attempts to increase the family’s creativity, spontaneity, and ability to “play”
• Whitaker advocated use of co-therapists in order to maintain and broaden perspective
• Duration of treatment is not limited; therapy typically take from six months to two years

STANCE OF THE THERAPIST

• Therapist participates fully as an involved and active participant
• Therapist serves as “change agent” (Satir)
• Therapist is “teacher” and “model of congruent communication” (Satir)
• Therapist engages in discussion by self-disclosing and remaining responsive, positive, and supportive
• Therapist freely receives the reactions of family members and gives honest reactions in return

CONTEMPORARY MODELS

• Emotionally Focused Therapy
  • Susan Johnson and Leslie Greenberg
• Internal Family Systems Therapy
  • Richard Schwartz