About Virginia Satir

Often called the “mother of family therapy,” Virginia Satir (1916-1988) started her professional life as an educator after graduating from the Milwaukee State ... Skiptomaincontent AprogramtoprovidetraininginthemodeldevelopedbyVirginiaSatir SubmitSearch Home/AboutVirginiaSatir AboutVirginiaSatir “Iwantyoutogetexcitedaboutwhoyouare,whatyouare,whatyouhave,andwhatcanstillbeforyou.Iwanttoinspireyoutoseethatyoucangofarbeyondwhereyouarerightnow.”–VirginiaSatir Oftencalledthe“motheroffamilytherapy,”VirginiaSatir(1916-1988) startedherprofessionallifeasaneducatoraftergraduatingfromtheMilwaukeeStateTeachersCollege(nowtheUniversityofWisconsin)in1936.Whileworkingasapublicschoolteacher,Virginiadevelopedaninterestinmeetingandworkingwithherstudents’parents–recognizingearlyonthatengagingthesupportofparentsnotonlyyieldedmoresuccessfuloutcomesforherstudentsintheclassroom,italsounlockedpotentialforhealingwithintheirfamiliesaswell.Shebegantoseethefamilyasamicrocosmforthelargerworld,famouslystating,“Ifwecanhealthefamily,wecanhealtheworld.” HerinterestinworkingwithfamiliesledhertopursuefurthereducationattheUniversityofChicagowheresheearnedherMasterofSocialWorkdegreein1948.Fromearlyoninhercareer,Virginiarecognizedthe significantrolethatfamilies oftenplayincontributingtoanindividual’sproblemsand byextensiontheir crucialrolein contributingtothehealingprocess. Heruniqueapproachandabilitytohelpdifficultclientsquicklyledtorecognitionanddemandasaconsultant,author,andworld-renownedtrainer –aswellascountlessawardsthatincluded beingvoted“MostInfluentialTherapist” intwonationalsurveysofPsychiatrists,Psychologists,SocialWorkers,andMarriageandFamilyTherapists(PsychotherapyNetworker,2007). Duringherlifetime,VirginiawroteseveralwidelyacclaimedbooksonthesubjectoffamilytherapyandshehelpedestablishorganizationssuchastheMentalResearchInstitute,International HumanLearningResourcesNetwork(IHLRN),andTheAvantaNetwork(nowTheVirginiaSatirGlobalNetwork) forthepurposeoftrainingandprovidingresourcesfortherapists. Sheremaineddevotedtohelpingothersandworkedtirelesslyupuntilherdeathin1988 writingandtravelingtheglobeasatrainerandlecturer. TheSatirModelultimatelyexpandedbeyondtherealmoffamilytherapyandbecamerecognizedasapplicabletoallsituationswhereimprovinghumancommunicationandgrowthisdesired,provingtobe usefulinareasrangingfromtherapyandsocialworktoeducationandinformationtechnology.TheprinciplesembodiedinVirginiaSatir’suniquecombinationofintelligence,insight,andcompassionareuniversalintheirapplicabilitytothehumancondition,andthereislittledoubtthatshedeservesherstatusasoneofthemostsignificantfiguresinthehistoryofmoderntherapy. MoreinformationaboutVirginiaSatircanbefoundatGoodTherapy. VirginiaSatirusesroleplaystoteachpsychotherapystudents: UNCSatir • UNCSchoolofSocialWork  • 325PittsboroStreet • CB#3550 • ChapelHill,NC 27599 • 919-360-0413