The Mother Of Family Therapy: Virginia Satir | BetterHelp

A notable American author and psychotherapist, Virginia Satir is considered the mother of family therapy for her pioneering work in how to ... BusinessAboutAdviceFAQReviewsTherapistJobsContactLoginGetStartedAdviceHome>TherapyTheMotherOfFamilyTherapy:VirginiaSatirBy JuliaThomas|UpdatedMarch29,2022MedicallyReviewedByDawnBrown,LPCHaveQuestionsAboutVirginiaSatirandFamilyTherapy?AskALicensedFamilyTherapistOnline! Source:rawpixel.com AnotableAmericanauthorandpsychotherapist,VirginiaSatirisconsideredthemotheroffamilytherapyforherpioneeringworkinhowtotreatindividualsseekinghelp.Herworkincludedanewapproachtotherapythatinvolvedtreatingnotonlyoneindividual,butallindividualsinvolvedinthefamily.Hertoolsweremyriad,andherresultswereincrediblysuccessful,makingherawidelyknownpsychotherapisttheworldover. TheEarlyLifeOfVirginiaSatir BornonJune26,1916,inNeillsville,Wisconsin,Satirgrewupasacuriouschildwithapassionforlearning.Shetaughtherselfhowtoreadearlyonandquicklybecamecuriousaboutuncoveringtruths,evenstatingthatshehaddesiredtobecomeadetectiveinheryoungeryears.Adedicatedandpassionatewoman,shewouldgoontoattendhighschoolduringtheGreatDepressionandheldapart-timejobtohelpherfamily,allwhileattendingextraschoolcourses.Sheworkedasateacherforafewyearsaftergraduatingandbeganworkinginaprivatepracticeshortlyaftergraduateschool. TheSatirMethod KnownmorecommonlyasSatirTransformationalSystemicTherapy,thismethodwasdesignedtoimprovetheconnectionsbetweenfamilymemberstotreatindividuals.Thefamilyunitisseenasawholeinsteadofjustasasumofitsparts,andistreatedbasedontheproblemslyingunderneaththebehaviorsofeachfamilymemberandhowtheyimpactallothermembers.Whenfamilymembersaddressissuesthathavebeenburiedforyears,theycanfindasenseofpeaceandbalance.Asmootherandcloserrelationshipcanthendevelop,provingthattheserelationshipsareworthenrichingastimegoeson. Source:rawpixel.com Theissuesexperiencedbyonepersoncanaffectthefamilyasawhole,andthisiswhySatirsodeeplystressedthattheentirefamilyshouldseektreatment.Thinkofafamilyunitasamachine.Whenoneofitsgearsbreaks,theentiremachineshutsdown.Treatingthegearaswellasmaintainingtheothergearscanhelpthemachinerunsmoothly. Muchlikethemoreholisticapproachestotalktherapy,theSatirmethodbelievesthatallpeopleareconnectedthroughsimilarlifeenergy.Thisisespeciallytruewithfamilieswhoarefrequentlyneareachother.Thatsharedenergycaneasilyinfluenceemotions,behavior,andmentalconditionswhenitisoutofbalance.Thisexplanationisalsowhatpromptsindividualstotakeresponsibilityfortheirinneremotionsandactions. TheTheoryBehindTheSatirMethod Sinceeveryonesharesenergy,thereareafewtruthsthatSatirbelievedtobeevidentinpeople.Shebelievedthateveryonewasequallygoodattheircoreandtheircopingskillswereultimatelywhatleadtosurfaceissues.Also,shebelievedallhumansexperiencetheworldinmuchthesamefashionthroughphysicalsensations,emotions,thinking,experiencing,etc.It'sapointofconnectionthatisworthacknowledgingduringtreatment.Satirbelievedthateverypersoniscapableofchangeandthatfocusingonthisskillandpossibilityiswhatwillleadpeopleintherightdirection. ThereasontheSatirmethodworkssowellisduetoitsfocusonthepotentialforchangeandgrowth,personalskills,andhope.Focusingonlyonthedisorderorthesurfaceissuedoesn'tsolvetheissue.Instead,encouragingindividualstotakechargeofhowtheyseesituationsandhowtheycanhelpthemselvesovercomepreviousevents.Thisthenequipsthemtohandlenewevents,howeverstressful,inhealthyways.Whenpasteventsaredealtwithproperly,theircurrentbehaviorandattitudewillchangeasaresult,whichcanpositivelyaffecttherelationshipstheyhave. Asstatedpreviously,itisbelievedthateverypersonhastheabilitytochange.Theyareincontroloftheiremotionsandwhetherthoseemotionsholdthemback.Theyarealsoincontroloftheiracceptanceofpastevents.Bycomingtotermswithpreviousexperiencesandunderstandingthatemotionsaretheirresponsibility,theycanenactchangeintheirownlife.Thiscreatesresponsibilityfortheindividualincultivatingtheirownemotionalgrowth. PersonalGrowthAndSelf-Worth OnepieceofSatir’sapproachtotherapyincludedrecognizingthatindividualshavetheirownsenseofworthandthattheyareresponsiblefortheirself-worth.Thisformsasaresultoftheirenvironment,typicallystartingwithinthefamilyunit,butthenisheldatwillbytheindividualastimegoesonandtheydevelopintoadulthood.Whenapartofthefamilyunitisexperiencinganillness,whethermentalorphysical,it'simportanttoassesstheentirefamilyunitforinfluences. Additionally,Satirwouldencouragetreatmentoftheentireunitaspartofthismodel.Familieswhoreciprocatefeelings,affection,andlovegoontothriveasunits,astheyshould.Herpioneeringworkchangedthewayfamilytherapy,couplestherapy,andmarriagecounselingwasadministeredandhasimprovedthelivesofmany. It'sNotAboutTheIllness Anotherimportantfactorofherworkfocusedontheindividualinsteadoftheillness.Satirbelievedthattheissuesappearingonthesurfaceweremaskingdeeperissues,likelyrootedinchildhood.Whileaddressingthesurfaceissuemighthelp,itwouldbemorebeneficialtotheindividualtodiscusswhatisunderneath.Usingvarioustechniques,shewouldhelpherclientsuncovertherootoftheirsurfaceissuesandhelpeliminatethoseproblemsbycomingtotermswiththem,forminghealthycopingmechanisms,andcreatingmeaningfulrelationshipswithothers. AcceptancePromotesChange Whiletherapycangiveindividualsthecopingskillsnecessarytomoveforwardintheirlives,oneofthemarkersofthistherapywasunderstandingandacceptingpastevents.Thememoriesofthepastshouldnotpreventtheclientfrommovingforward.Byacceptingtheeventsasunchangeable,eachcantakeasteptowardsahappierexistence.Hangingontooldbeliefs,poorexperiences,andshamefulfeelingsonlyhinderthepersonfromexperiencingthehereandnow.Acceptanceiskeytopromotingthosefirststepstowardchange. HaveQuestionsAboutVirginiaSatirandFamilyTherapy?AskALicensedFamilyTherapistOnline! Source:rawpixel.com HowItWorks TherearefourmaingoalsintheSatirmethod:raiseconfidence,becomeanactivedecision-maker,becomeresponsible,andbecomecongruent.Thesegoals,itisbelieved,willultimatelyleadtochangeintheindividual.Asthetherapyprogresses,thetherapistandclientwillsetnewgoalsaswell.Achievingtransformationalchangecanonlyoccurwhentheattitudeandperspectiveoftheindividualhavechanged.Whentheyareonlyfocusedonpasteventsorcurrentissues,theycan'ttakethestepsnecessarytoimprovetheirlifestyle. Ideally,theSatirmethodworksassuch:raisingconfidencehelpstheindividualtakechargeoftheirdecisions.Fromthere,theyseethattheyhavealevelofresponsibilityfortheiremotionalhealthandactivefunctioning.Then,theclientcommitstobecomingconsistentintheirdecisions,goals,andstatements.Theybecomeanactiveagentintheirlifestyle. WhoIt'sFor Primarily,theSatirmethodhelpsindividualsrecoverfrompasteventsinchildhood,aswellashelpingtoimproverelationships.Byusingself-actualization,theindividualcanformstrongerinterpersonalconnectionswiththosearoundthem,includingfamily,romanticpartners,andfriendsalike.Thistypeoftherapyisalsousedforgroupsandcouplesforitsbeneficialstructureinprovidingasafeenvironmenttodiscussissuesandcreatehealthygoals. Thetheoryandmethodsbehindthisparticulartherapyarenotalwaysconsistentwithanimprovedqualityoflife.Thoselivingwithsevereandchronicmentalillnessmightnotfindperpetualpeaceinthesemethodswithoutadditionaltherapy.Also,thosewithcognitiveimpairmentsmaynotalwaysbecapableofdoingthework.Theymightneedotherinterventionstohelpthemprogressthroughlifeinsteadof,orsometimesinadditionto,theSatirmethod. BooksByVirginiaSatir Asanauthor,Satirhaswrittensomebooksaboutfamiliesandindividuals.Herbooksinclude Peoplemaking (1972), YourManyFaces(1978), ConjointFamilyTherapy (1983),and TheNewPeoplemaking (1988)tonameafew.Herworkhasinfluencedotherschoolsofthoughtinpsychology,includingfamilytherapy,andcontinuestoinfluencemanypsychotherapiststoday.Duringhertimealive,shebecameincreasinglypopularamongpsychologistsandwouldtraveltheworldtospeakabouthermethods.Oneofheruniquewaysofwritingwasincorporatingmeditationsandpoeticwriting. Source:rawpixel.com WhereToFindSatirMethodTherapy ManytherapistsincorporatemuchofSatir'sworkintotheirtechniques.Thoughmanytherapistshavetheirownwayoftreatingindividuals,theirworkmaybeinfluencedbySatir'sbeliefinlifeenergy,increatingresponsibility,andusingacceptanceaspartoftherapy.Muchofmoderntherapybelievesthatacceptanceandself-worthhelppromotetheindividualtochange.Bytransformingtheirperspectivetoamorepositiveoutlook,theindividualcanthriveasahuman. BetterHelpisanonlinetherapyprogramwiththousandsofboard-certifiedtherapists,manyofwhomutilizeSatir’smethodsinfamilyandgrouptherapies.Studieshavefoundonlinetherapytobeoveralljustaseffectiveasin-persontherapy.Inparticular,internet-basedfamilytherapywasfoundbytheClinicalChildandFamilyPsychologyReviewtoeliminatemanyofthebarriersofin-personfamilytherapy,suchascost,schedulingissues,abilitytogettoappointments,staffshortages,andincreasedprivacy.Participationamongyouthsinparticularwashigher,perhapsduetostigmasassociatedwithface-to-facetherapy. Internet-basedtherapyisincrediblyconvenientandaccessible,abletobeutilizedanytime,anywhere-you’lljustneedaninternetconnectiontogetstarted.Fromthere,youcanbematchedwithatherapistwell-suitedtoyoursandyourfamily’sneedsandcircumstances.Sessionscanbeconductedviaphonecall,videochat,instantmessaging/texting,orlivevoicerecordingssentbackandforth.Continuereadingbelowtofindreviewsofsomeofourtherapistsfrompeoplewhohavesoughtoutonlinefamilytherapy. “Susanwasfabulous!Ihighlyrecommendhercounsellingservices.SheputmeandmyfamilybackontrackandIfeelthereispromisehopeandlovegoingforward.” “AmyhasbeenablessingtomyfamilyandI.Beginningourworktogetheraboutsixmonthsago,Iwasdealingwithextremeanxietyandemotionaldisorder.Throughweeklyassignments,meaningfulconversations,andoccasionalmid-weekchatcheck-ins,Iammuchmorecapableofmanagingstress,rebuildingmymarriage,andcaringformybusiness.” Callingyourhealthprovidercanbeafirststepinlocatinganofficethatspecificallycaterstothismethod.Aswell,doinganinternetsearchcanshowyouareaswheretheSatirmethodisused.Ifyouwouldratherexploreoptionsfromtheprivacyandcomfortofyourownhome,youcanstartbyclickinghere: https://www.betterhelp.com/start/ FormoreinformationonVirginiaSatir,hertherapymethods,andherinfluence,checkoutthefollowinglinks: GoodTherapy. https://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/virginia-satir.html https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/satir-transformational-systemic-therapy Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Satir MRI. https://mri.org/virginia-satir/ Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Virginia-Satir/e/B001KIYHDWPreviousArticleWhatIsTranspersonalTherapy?Definition&TypesNextArticleRogerian/Person-CenteredTherapyHelpfulmentalhealthresourcesdeliveredtoyourinboxSignUpForAdditionalHelp&SupportWithYourConcernsSpeakwithaLicensedTherapistTheinformationonthispageisnotintendedtobeasubstitutionfordiagnosis,treatment,orinformedprofessionaladvice.Youshouldnottakeanyactionoravoidtakinganyactionwithoutconsultingwithaqualifiedmentalhealthprofessional.Formoreinformation,pleasereadourtermsofuse.GetTheSupportYouNeedFromOneOfOurTherapistsGetStartedTopCategoriesTherapyGeneralDepressionAnxietyLoveSeeallcategoriesRelatedarticlesHowTalkTherapyCanHelpYouWhatIsGroupTherapy?TypesOfTherapy:Definitions,MethodsAndMoreBehavioralTherapyWhatIsSolutionFocusedTherapy?Theinformationonthispageisnotintendedtobeasubstitutionfordiagnosis,treatment,orinformedprofessionaladvice.Youshouldnottakeanyactionoravoidtakinganyactionwithoutconsultingwithaqualifiedmentalhealthprofessional.Formoreinformation,pleasereadourtermsofuse.