Professional Documents
Culture Documents
a
=
:111¡ /
FAMILY PROC- - N ANO 0001.laHIAN
/ :m
psycholherary theorieii are b d h L-
11 d ·1 d aae , u ,..en
we . •~ri >e hy Pan,on11 (l;J-64) In hi■ dinat.e to the one expreqin1 the devian<'t'.
Thia deviance 11 thouaht,to be the rNultof
Panonian aocia\ theory, and will contra&\. haar, writ.e, and u111 ali of lhe many nprN•
lhe lmpllcallona o( thi• alternativa for c\in- 1l11n1 and forma of lanaua1e ª" p11rl oí lha
ap¡,hcat1on of cyherneli<' concep\.11 l.< • 1
th eory. In l~ii 11 P11r,..,nian perai,ecli:,:c::. an inadequate ,ocialiution that rnulta la ical lheory and pracllca. 1•neral human proceu of craati na ,nct
defective ■ocial rola and atructure. For
lema ar1> v1ewed a■ l~i n,r cybernetically example, concepta in \ha family lherapy 1'111 Domaln of Meanlng: Human Syalema
dHlln1 wlth lhe N!alltiea ln which w111i11l.
layered. Order and ■tabilily are hierarchi - lt. la in lan11u111 thal we are 11h11 e.u main -
tield auch H ~Y•functlonal farnlly •true• 11 Ungulallc lyalema
call.v 1111d 1.eleul,'l(ically related l.<l control tain maanin11ful human contect with eac-h
from al1ove - Lo fultillinK the requirement.a ture, inadequale 1eneratlonal boundarl• In \hla dllferent dlrecUnn (or cnnveraa , other and throuah which we ahue • reelily.
º'. Lh~ l.otal 11y11Lem. For a ayal.em t.o main- aymp':°m
uun 1\.1111Laltilily, lhe relation bet.ween t.he
0
. functi?nallty, and lnadequa~
~1am1at1onal h11rarchl• are al\ aaprea.
\MIi\) for the ftald 11( family t.herapy, human·· 'l'o "be in l1n11ua,r1" ia a dyn1mic, ■ociel
~ 1J1\ID11 are aeen u 11l1tln11 only In the operalion. lt i1 not • aimple lin¡11i-1ic acti v-
componenu of Lhe 1y1lem and \.he pro- 110~1 and Hl.enalona of thia foundaUonel ~•In of meanin1 or l,iter1uhjectlve lin• ity. Witt,1n1ttin (64) Ulff the con~pt o/
cesae11 lhl\l 11.11 on wilhin il (and he\.wMn t.he 10C1a\ \.heory. Kence, the \.ar¡et of \.rea\, ~Uc raality. In t.he domain oí -~~nin1, lan11u•1• 11m1 t,o imply thi1 dynemic chu•
comµunen\.11 and \.heir con\,H\.) mua\. be m_en\. (\.he aoclal•aC\.lon unl\. \hat the u.ira• IDd,l 1y1l.em1 ara communlcatiun net• acter o( l1n11ua111, Wt 1l110 conce¡>tu1U11
~uch lhat \he r.truc\.ure o( \.he ayat.em and
p11\. woru w\th) la datlned by IOC\al atruc, ~u \hat are dlttln1ul1hed In and by l1n1u111 •• • human tool that 1, pul lo •
,\a com{>11nen\.l\ remain unchanaed. Ho-
\.u~• and rola. The \aak of therapy wll,hln lanaual•· That 11, \hey communical,e wlth 1pacU\c u11 and that cannot be undtr■ lood
th11 hameworlr. \a th• repalr of \.he aoeial IICh othar¡ \hay are in converution wlth or have mt1nln1 out1id1 o( the cont11t oí
~e01'1.&i;i11 and \>ermanence are \.he prevai\•
mi cundiliona. defect (the prob\em) ..'l'he deacrlpUve \an- IICh olhar. Thia domain of mtanlna 11 thla UM. By "baln1 in l1n1u111," w1 refer to
'\'hi!\ view of 11y11lem11 can he likened to en l~aaa la l.ha\. of ~ -~~rapla~ u aapen In mtned Lo U I lin11ul1t.ic or I ronverH• the proce11 of lhe aoclal crHtlun uf th•
,-. "onion lheory" (:\, 2~) . Rach 1y1lem ia like a d1a1n01la and t,~11tmant throu1h tht llonal domain (1 , 8, 44, 4fl) . 'l'h, lln11ui11t.ic interauhj1ttlv1 rHliti11 that wt tam¡111•
knowled1e of eoclal ayal.ema and thelr func• • ~nvenat.ional domaln la tht t.erm uaed rarily 1h1re with each othtr. lt 1, undtr•
layer oí lhe oni11n llu1\. i11 encircled by Uon.
anoth•r layar . 1-~ch layer of \he aocial 11 deei1naw \.he aa1re1a\a of lan1u11t ■tood th1t thi1 11 not I totally adtq111l1
Central to auch a eoclal tbeory ol aocial laleracUona (cnmmunicatlonal ln\arac• model to undentend the full operalion of
onion ia •ol>urdinai. Lo \he layar above ancl
ayat..1111 la the noUon ol amplridaai o, 11111■) ol particlp&nla an1qed In dlaloeue lhe human UM of lan1u111. To ba In lan•
11 contrulled in Lhe .. ,vice o{ lhe maint..•
nance uí aoc1al 11rder and al.abilily. F.ach
ob)eC\lve r•ll\y. M the heañ ol &w. _. OD11veraaUon. By lanaua11, •• do not auaa• la, how1ver, a dl1tlnctlv1ly human
layer oí 1111t·i11I uraaniulion ia In \.he Mrvice
ampirical poúUon la a fina commit.mant e. u to a 1peclf\c focua on 1i1na, al.ructure, proc.a becauae lt 11 thruu11h l1n1u11t that
a hY'PO'het.lcal-deducUve model ol 11pla. • l&ylt. Ralhar, we refer to the lin,ulat.i• we are cap1bl1 or formlna the 1hlhin11 cum•
of lhe elfectiveneaa oí t.he auperordinat.. nation that la bued on eppeal Lo eal,emal
lllly medlated and conl,eatually relevan\ munltlee of maanin1 to which wt belon1
aocial ayalem. F.ach layer aubeumu and acientitlc law. 'l'hua, IOdal ayal.eme .,.
conlrula aubordinale layen in the aervice of objactlvely deftned ancl aalat lndepen,
1111\UII \ha\ le lnt.eractlvely 11narated and lhat are for ua the lnt.eraubJectlvt rtall•
ita own re4uirement-lhe home011\.aUc dantly of \he obeerver. The o_.., can
llnusb tha medlum of worda and other Uta In whlch wa 11lat.
-111unlcetlva action. 'Thla 11nerat.ed Humana, then, can be definid u lan•
mainl en11 nt·e oí 11ocial order, atahilily, and only lnquire u Lo~ repr. .nl.eUonel adt- iitenlna (und1nl.endln1) wllhln I partlcu• 1ua1••11naratln1, mHnln1•11en1r,1tln• ,ye.
e4uilibrium. The individual i1 encircled by quacy of lhe lan¡uaae UNd Lo daecrlba &ht
the f11mily, the family by the largar 1yatem, ayat.m. Knowina how a Qll.eln lhould be,
the lar¡ter 11yat.em hy the communiiy, and 10 therelore, placea die obaerwr, die &ha,a.
.,_.le
lar eoclal contaat la l'Valved t.hrouah \he l.ema tn111ed In an activlty that la In•
aoclal procaee of dlaloaue and con• l.enub)ectlve and recurtive. H1nc1, lht
....t1on. Wa Uve wlth each othar, wa contlNCtlon ot mt1nln1 and und1r1tand •
on. Thi11 in1po1ed rutriclion oí aocial role plat, In \he lndependent poelUon of detar· llilak w\tb each other, we worli wlth each ln1, the conatrucUon o( human 1y11t1m1, l1 a
and 1tructure aclll u a aoclal harnlM \hat minlnc how th• lysl.ea la (patboloo/cl"-· .a., ud wt lovt wlth each othar. Ali thia oonatently chan1ln1, crHtlve, 1nd dynamlo
exi11lll imlel)f'ndently oí pe11ple ancl pro- noela) ancl tlslna die "9'-• • 1, ~ he _. ,n lancuaae. prOCIII. 'rhla vlew o( human lnllrcc¡n,
vide11 the urder t.hat. aociety calla cult.ure (nonnalcy/tnalmeQt). AU 1111111 ........ Wa prefer tha UN of "lanaua11," "to be nectedn- doae not rely un a d1finltlo11 ol
and civili1.alion. to the t.berapilt'a objecttN ~ 11 la llntual•," and "\anauaalna" In Mder to perceptlon and coanillon thal r1qui1~ •
In~--- ~I~
1'hi11 Paraonian view oí eoclal ayal.ema the larnily therapj' ftel4. ·~ ~ aa lldaplah thla proeeea from the current reprN1nte\ional or obJec\lva vl1w or r11I •
implie11 that problematic behavior, .,.\bol. lncrwln1 dllN•..,._,_, wl\h --·;,... lllliAlllon ol peycholinculatiea. ln tha pey- l\y. Rathtr, thl1 1mer1ln1 p111ltlon h11, 1\
OKY, or deviance within compollflnta oí a that aocial ecienca anclpay~,.,, ~ tllellnaullUc modal, meanlna ancl under• Ita core, tha bell1f thal r1&11ly 11 1 11l4lial
1y11l.em represent inadequacl• in IOCial Lo be tbou¡ht of ti~ h,laNel llladlna en mon thouaht In be dar\ved oonatruclion. We llve 1nd tali1 action In a
._ \he qic of 1l1na and 1ymbola, from world that w1 d11\n1 lhruu1h 0111 d11crlp •
role and 11tructure. Theae inadequc:iea are emplriclamofthe~fte ~-- ,... .uoa1 1\NC\urt and Ita lotie and Uva lan1u11• In aocl1l lntem,ur•• wl"'
related to inaullicient aoclalilat.ion pro- (1, 4--6, 8, 9, ti-18, 18, ti.~\ .,.._ from lll UN (49). ln our vlew, olhen. To HY ll aom1wh1t dllftr1nlly, we
ceAAet1 emanalini from the hlerarchlcal 61--AQ, 61-63). ! ' . 1 tlt ~¡f,t ' .."
-.na can be conceptuallaed • more llv1 and tek.• aoclal aoth,11 In a mulllv■r11 of
layer in1mediat.ely auperordinal.e Lo the In the remalnder .or .._.. • "8 lill 1
._.. 1l111ple lnformatlon•prllCllllna t)'I• world1 oí deecrlptlun. M1t11rana ami 'Var •
devient layer. That ia, the 1•n•la of prob- espand on a theory o( . . . .la, lnlar• w, i.a, ara uaera or lan1ua«•• W, apeak, tia (411) t.1k1 tht poeltlnn th1t •~ary h11m1n
lem11 iK ¡1IR,:NI cm the aocial ayatem auperr,r- pretaUon u an altamatlve, lo 11111
1
.. 1
'.17H /
FAMII.Y PROCIOIII lNOIIISON ANI> GOOl.19ltlAN / 379
,11.:lion lttk es pl111·e in 11111¡:ua¡:c, and also
lhet evcry ect in l11n¡¡ua¡:e hringR íorth 8 person. On lhe contrary, we are ahle 1.11 underatanding ia neither 11uhjective nor intersction, il becomea neceuary lo \ook
world c-reoted with uther.~. According lo '.mderatand Lhrough dialogue only wh1t il objective, but thal it i1 inleraubjective, beyond 1y11tema thal are predP fin ed on the
lhe11e eul~mr:<, we r.rente Lhe ubjecl.A of our IR thal the . olh~r peraon ia ■aying. Thia 1-r■ ling lhe 1111hject-ohject rnmplimen - ba11i11 oí eocial definition, and look to tho11e
":'ºrld~ w1lh ond throu¡:h len,cuage. In e underatandmg 11 &ll!lay.- in contexL 1nd llrily (p. 195). Bralen refera to lhi11 a11 11 who are in active lin1111i11li r. r.o11plin11. The
R1111d11r vein , BoLeH1111 (71 held LhaL lhe never holda over time. In thia aen■e undtr• ' dilloeical croa11in1 of pt1rapeclivet1, which 1y1tem lo be lreat.ed includea tho.-e who ftfe
mental 1·hnracterislic11 11 f 8 aystem are 8nd standing ia alway1 a proceu "on U~e way" ··. he caution1 can coll11p11e in Lo a mnnnlol(ical in a langua¡¡ed context ahoul a proh\em.
u~manenl in the HYAlcm ª" a whole. The never fully achieved. We only under, perapective under ce ria in condition■. 1n a . Such a ay11tem may be 11maller than a fami -
rnmd frn .. an inl(I ¡,. not in 11omeone'11 head Kland de11crip,lion1 and explanation1. Wt mono-penpective, the development oí new ly; may be a fam ily; may be larger than a
meaning ceaaea becauae one 11el of all po1111i - fam ily; or may conaial of relalive alrangera.
liut, ruther , in interaction . Thu11, H11 teson d'.' not underatand evenla becauae, in thia
v1ew, there is never a aingle event to blt aeta oí idea■ dominatea and becomea lt ia the people who are in a p rohlem
questiom~d I he t·oncept of an ohjective re11l -
describe, and no particular underatandina invarianl. One muat be careful, however, context, the peop\e who " lsnguage" aboul
1ly nnd Lhe ordinary ways Lhat therapi11la not to confu1e a mono-per11peclive with whal they call a problem, lhe people who
exhausta ali the Polential infinitiea ol
m11kc R~n11e '.1f t he world; he challenged us meaning. problema, that ia, to think Lhat a mono- compriae Lhe 1ocial 11y&t.em Lhal ia lhe t.ar•
lo keep III m111d Lhat., in mar oh11ervetion11, il
In thi11 article, we propo11e lo develop perapective ia alwaya prohlematic. lt may gel of lrealmenl. Langua11ing within Lhe
,,. morP familiar 11nd comfortahle to selecl or m1y not be. domain of a problem d iatinguiahea th e ay11-
aome oí Lhe theoretical implicationa o( lhia
tlrnl wh i.. h confirm11 our already exiating poaition for the fteld oí therapy. Human ■ocia\ 1yatem1 require the lin- tem; the ayalem doea nol distinguiah the
hehef~. Bateson 17) c11lled this new way of ruiatic coupling of their componentll (indi- problem. To pul th ia d ifferenll y, •Y"l ema
thmkinl( 11h11ut. id<'n.• 1111 " ecology of mind11" LANGUAGE SYSTEMS ANO THERAPY ridual11) 1uch that they can operate wilh do not make prohle m11; \11nl(URl(it11t 11houl
or " en,lo¡:_v uf iden11." each olher II obttervera in lan11u11ge. Thu■, problem11 makea 11yalema. We lhink oí auch
Thi1 empha1i1 createa an alternative lo
ThP ,·011,·rpt 11ali1.ation of reality aa a thinking oí ■ocial role and 1tsuctur1 • IIOCial 1yatem1 are a con1lanlly chan¡¡ing a defined 11y.-t.em u a problem-orsonizinR,
rnult 1vu~e uf rnean in¡¡11 created in dynamic 11i1tin1 in 1ome kind of reified and p,oduct oí ■ocially communicated realiliH, prublem-du-,oluin, iy1lem. lt ia a aocial -
"'H"nl rsd11111,cr ,uul cunvaraation interac- empirical 1ocial reality. lt con■ tsu• lan• 18d are b.-1 in t.he uncerlainli• of dia- action 1yatem lhal i1 organizl'd around lan-
111111 rnuvea 1111 away fn,m roncerna ahout
1º81• and communicat.ion u buic &o aocial ~ and diacoune In our continuin1 guaging aboul ia1ue■ Lhat concern and
IMHUra uf 11n11¡11e tr11th11 and into a mult.i- conducL Thua, aociaJ organixal..ion la lha ~ • • ta reach qrHment. Pul anolher alarm Lhoee who compriae lhe Ry11lem .
ver ..e 1h11t induda • diveniity of conflict- product o( aocial communicaüon, ralhH •Y· lan1ua1• ia lhe 1ubat..ance throul(h Recauae problem -organizinl( syalema ex -
ing veni111111 uf t hr wurld (.!8) . Within thia than communicat.ion bein¡ a producL ul wllich aocial 1tructure and role are iat in langua11e, lhey t.ake no account of the
framework, there are no "real" externa! organization. Thia ia a diff'erent poaition ..ived. boundarin puncluated by social Rlructure
cntit1,-11, 011ly mmmunicatinl( and langua,c- than that defined by HaJey (31) who 1tate1 When we apply lhia concept clinically, it and role. In lhi1 framework , lhe objecl oí
i11g human individual11. There ia only the that only • chan1• In hierarchy will chan,a ÍI 111metimea dilficult lo keep in mind lhal treatment is no longer defined 88 ind ividu -
prnce1111 o( the cnm1tantly evolving reality o( communication. Our view ia that communi- 111a 1yal..ama we work with exiat only in our al, family, larger ay11lem, and ao on. Thia ia
lan¡¡ua¡:e 1111e. Th1111, there are nu "(actll" to cation and diacouru define aocial or¡aniu, M1Cription1. Theae de■ criplion1, from nol to ■ay lhat we do not aee individual, or
he known , no 11y11tem11 to he "underatood," tion and that reality la a product ol chan,• whatever theoretical orientalion they are familin in our office1. But. rathM, whrn we
and no p11ttern11 and re,rul11ritie11 IA, he "dia- ing dialo¡ue. Thla Yiew la almllar lo that ol . .lved, Hi■t only in languaRe, The •Y•· do, our thinking ia puncluat..ed in terma oí
covered ." Thi1 po11iti11n demand11 that we Maturana and Varela (46) who holcl lhal ._. that we, u lherapi1ta, work with are lhe communicalive networka llhe related
give up tha vif'w uf humankind u the there ia no informatiOA eachan¡e (or'tram, 1M narnUvN Lhat evolve through thera- actora) and dialogical exchange1 thal
"knoweni" o( the e1111encea o( nature. fn ita mitted information) In comnumlcatJon. 0n 11111Uc: converaation. They are the producl..a define the problem, and ia nol punctuated
place i" 1uh11tituted a view oí humanklnd in the contrary, they·hold that hu~na 11y ti lnteractive lin1ui1tic domaina oí exi1- in terma of predetermined aocial 1truclure.
continuing conver11allun. and hear aceordln¡ 'to · the ·way ··~y a,. ~ Sy1Lam1, lhen, do not e1dal. In an The concept oí problem-organi-iing 1y1tem,
ConvH1111tion-\an11uaRe and cummuni• •~ructured, no& ac:co~ln¡ b, tlt ~ :ora•: eswnal, or unilawally determined, aocial however, i1 not. meant. to involte another
cative action-i1 almply part of 1.he herm• n1zaUon In whlch ~ are
neutic atrul(lle lo reach undentandin1
••bad ed.· fa a ...ULy; 1yaLam1 ealal. In lan,uqed interac- kind or objectified palhol01y; it is meanl to
1
:u~~~:'t~~·
.ªt~º ~,~~
lion and in the rhetorlc and me&apborical imply a different definition o( 1y1\em
with thoae with whom we are In contacto aarraUve oí our theofi.. parametera.
Said ditferently, langua¡t doee noL mirror proceuln1 1yatam·• , I ' ta~ 1 ·, , ' . · l Problema, u alarmad objection, are a
nature (55); lan,u11e createe e.he nat.uree pante who maln~ , p.r~ : Aerapy lyalema H Problem-Organlzlng, form oí co-evolved mean ing t ha t exial.l in
we know. Mttanin1 and undentandln1 do ldentltyolthemMI~ dol . .ne . ~-· Proa.a.m Dlt·eoMng lyalema ongoin« dialogical communicalion. Ind ia -
nnt ui11t prior to the uttarancea ol len• ~hrou¡h • mo,. ~r 1,¡.-~ fa~·
..·. · 111 deftnln1 the lat1et oí treatment u l01ue, new meaning ia under conata n t evo -
1ua1e. In thi• Nmttd, underttandln, doee
nol mean that we ever unde~t,nd anpth• 19~). He íurlher,
in, ot both th•II\Ml~ •~ .~
.i~~-~ jUi
k1
~
Jp. l
•
tncompauing a 1oclal action 1yatem lution and no "problem" will u i1t fo reve r.
Mfined on lhe buia oí communicative In time ali problema will di11-1olve. Tbat ia, .
r.~=
How we think about lherapy is ol prime aderiltica ol a1l d ~ ~ ~ WIII la CODfflll\ion abou\ a probltm il 1 t.hem tolally ditlerenl world1 and are con•
im~L'lncr tu lhe ."Y we ~ our tbalputicipu~Ofllll~l°t: .,. . . . of dtvelopiftc new meaninp and \inually ahapina t.h11t world11 in lhe_proceu
buP.inl!S! .18 therapíalL To l.hink ~ l and accepl ~
h t ma u exiati... fo a Jincuíaüc worthy ol conaid'9~ \ ~
~~-1~J!... 'M ~dinsa.
~ l e In •
Tbt 1oal oí lhtrapy ia to u{ dialoeue. Thia reahapin1 requne, \~e
convenalion lhat eonün- in\imecy of convenation-that w~ remam
um"n •Y5 ' ... · ' that ln ~ N lllly loaNrll and apena up, rathal t.han in con\inuin1 languqe con~cl w~lh u~h
d0011.in ft.M world ol meanm,. u.ridtr• : : -
llandinc. aod nanalive)_ prellll~ • ~ a&and not lbe jndi~~--
other &o':.· u~ ~~~ Uf
!JH.fll;..¡
-.Ida and dree1 down. Throu¡h Ultra- olher. C(lnceptualiitd in lh11 fa11h111n, la11·
L.-Jlf-n•e an th,, lheonea and pracucep
Crw .,. • ~
. '-:t •\ ~
1¡ ••r·
,
•.!4 ~ ' · ¡,~ •'' .~. .~ ~venalion, fi11d meat\inp and 1u11e and conver11tion are ~lw•y~ •
-
.. -
:11l'l / :l83
PAMILY l'ROCl!lil lNIIKRlKlN ANO 1,0(11.l!!IIIAN
dy1111111i,· sucinl nclivit•· 81 ., . . 1uhjecl lo change throul(h conver11Blion.
1 .• • Ju mennin11: '" ouL,ide nf lhat ¡>arameler A8 R That ia, lhe lherapial develnp11 the arl oí Said differently. lhe therapi11l i11 prepared
R WRYS , 111 IHllllt' measure in<lel . . has · d · • aleeon (71
The thrr . ., ermrnale. d,n ,calecl, making room Cor the familiar uking quealion11 thal are nol í()(,1111ed on lo negoliate and chanl(e views julll a11 any
. apeul1c conver!IRlion i11 baaically 1ea 5 t.o room Cor the novel dilc;uvering informalion ·a nd collecling olher memher oí the p rohlero 11y~1em. Thia
no dilíerent from nnv other ll 111 . l . data. Quealion11 are nol conaidered inler- i11 nol Lo aay thal the the rRpÍRl cRnnot. hRve
cure ti 1 · • · , R IUI 2. 1'he theropiat ente~toin, multipl, .
. 11' 111"11: 11roceR11 uf peuple lrying lo and co11tradictory ideo, ,imultoneowly. nñtions, se11rrhe1 Cor preselected 11nswet11, preunderatandings, opinionA, end p reju ·
unclerst1111d end1 ulher. In a lher . o, checking out hypolhe11e1. Que11Lion11 are
conversnt ion lh h . . aµeul1c F,qual enlhusiaatic inlereat in and reaped dices. We can and do. In R thernpeutic
. · e l. ernp111l IR conslanlly fnr ali idea11 ia demonslrated. The lherapiat lht toola oí lhe lherapial in a therapeulic converaation, the11e are oppnrLuniLieR to
t1111rl1111¡: bulle with all mem1>erR uf lhe lakea whalever ia aaid aerioualy and ronveraalion, and Lhey are t.o be 11uided 11nd iniliate dialogue, and · lhey are otfered in
pro1,ll'm -11ri,:1m i zi1111 Ry!llem ll 111 . . h' informed by lhe viewa of the clienlll MI Lhal such a way thal conversalion ia conlinued
h ·f · ' · rn l 1s ac~orda • mutual plauaibility to ali that ia
R , l 11111: .converRRliun nnd in lhe conslanl
~aid ._ 1 o_ward lhi1 end, lhe lherapiat lhe converaation is geared Loward the mu·
1ornt.1on imum production oí new informalion, rather than ct!llle<i.
exp
) · ·
uf lhe 1011:ic of lhe VarlOUII . rnqu1rea rn a way lhat doea not judge lha We believe thal lhest elemenla, when
< esn1pl11111• uf t.he 11rohlem 11y11lem lh l "~•Rhtnelll!" or "~,tneaa" of any ont underst.nding, meaninl(. aml interpreta• comhined wilh the ordinary elementa of
cuf -ev11lvt• 1hl' .. n11l -yeL-1111i<I ·"'l'l1e memahewe r11 view. Such a~liona_ creiii.i1 lhe opporlunily tion. Thia require11 lhal the therapial take converaalion, will evolve into a lherapeutic
" Lha• 1m,hh•111 !IYHlem relate Lo lhe l011ic f t.o move lbe rnlerview in lhe direclion of a f'ltrything aeriuualy, have I good memory, convenalion. A lherapeulic converaation ia
lhe Rystem in clifferenl ways and wilh d~- mulual inquiry about familiar ideu and, and find I way lo pick up on 1mall piecea oí an open convenalion in which lhe íocue ia
ferenl v11lue inveslment.a, yel ali musl have 111nveraation leter in lhal inlerview or in in the direction oí evolvinR new under-
hence, '?ward l_he broadening, 1hiflin&, and
a chance lo di11cour11e ,rnd chanice, al lheir other inlerviewa. Thi1 ia 1111 parl oí develop- standing oí the prohlem11 and i~11e11 at
•ynlb~tic creal1on of new narralivea, inter-
own ~pPed _nml in lht>ir own way. fo din- prelalion, and meaning. inc new connected neu. l l ia the proceBII oí hand. Therapy and lherapeulic convet1111·
/11~u~
· nolhtni,: rl'ma i n• ti,, •ame• ''h "' onRe 3· 7'he theropiat choo1t• cooptrati111 carrying on mulliple converaaliona simul- lion require lhe maintenance oí converAB·
lanet)Ualy auch that. ovar lime, new ideaa lion auch thal the logic(1) of the content oí
'" llaPr11 / 11· ' •·• 1111 murr thnn eh anlllnll · rather than uncooperatiue lon,uage. Tht
,,,,•0 11111¡¡ d rr,vrd tl,r,H•llh dial11Mu• and therapial 1Akt1 aarioualy what ha or ahe ia llill bqin t.o evulva and make cunlacl with • problem ayatem ia doggedly e11plored
t'U ll 111' fA O l1 11tt told, ~o maltAr how 11Loniahin1, trivial, o, .ch oOier. ll i• in our qu..lion• thal wa thruu¡¡h inquiry. In carrying out lhis e xplo-
pecuh~r. lnquiry muat ahow a t91pecj (o,,
üplay tha akill oí "worldmakin¡¡." Thera-
F '"" ' lhl' 11111,al cnnUlcl and lhrou11houl ration, olher meariings and de11cription1
1he cu1ar•~ .,( ,n1rrv1ewa. the lherapial mual nol • Jud1menl oí whal la aaid. To do 111 piM'a qu..Liona ar• the 1prin¡¡l,,,arda Cor will emerge lhat a re no lon¡¡:er laheled . in
mnkt' d11 1h·t:• • 1ul dec i11iuna aboul whal lo enhancea lin1uielic mobillly and movea lht ■111111I inquiry and diacuNion. lan¡¡uage, 1111 " problem." Pul anolher way,
Lalk Hhoul. Whal ia uid doea nol aimply l~Lerview Loward collaboralive converu• 7. The therapial talre, th, re,poruibil-
lhe proceu oí therapy ia elaboralini¡ on,
ariae nut '.'' llu, l,lue. The lherapi11l, like l1on ralher than toward confrontAtiOCI ily for the creotion o/ o conuer,ational
and remainin11 in convenation u nlil lhe
everynne 1n c11nver11Bli11111I exchani¡e, ¡11 compelition, polarizalion, and immohilit/ n111tut that ollow, /ur mutual colloboro-
p roblem d iaappeara. lt ia nol a11 ií lhe
alwny• 1•• •k 111 11 for inlended meaning and 4. Th• theraput learru, undir,tond,, 1ion in tht probltm-dt/ininR proctu. The
prnhlem ia elaborated on and then "fixed"
creat,vely synthe11i1.in1t informalion, under- and conuer,ea ·¡n the clitnt', longuoir lliarapial doea nol define the problem or
by lhe lherapeutic inlervenlion hut, rnthe r,
Rlao<lm¡¡ . Rnrl mean inic. In doin,t lhi11 the becauae lhal lan1uage ÍI lhe metaphor fn, l&Nr lhe convenalion toward I prohlem
thal Lhe problem, lhrou¡¡h languR¡¡e 11nd
ltierapiAL Lake11 cue11 and u11e11 cluea rom f the client'1 uperiencea. Tha client'a worda. Mlinilion prejudged by the therapial Lo be
converaalion, evolves new meani ng, inler•
lbe dit>ntll. Huw doe11 a lherapial chooae language, and meaning are what la 1oing 1111 IIDOfe uaeíul delinilion. Nor doe1 lhe lher-
prelalion, and underslanding. Therapeut ic
whal lo re111111nd lo and in whal way? How in lhe client'1 liíe. In lherapeullc convaru- apial try to move tha diacuaaion t.oward a
dneft " thtr11pi~l know whal queallona lo lion, it il ....ntial that lhe ditrapilt 1111111naua (or 1ynlheaia) problem defini- convenation ia nol the proce111 oí finding
10\utions. No aolulion ia íound; the prob -
~,k1 The íollnwin¡¡ are 1ome ¡eneral and evolvea undentanding lhrouih the mata• lion. lnalead, lhe lherapisl íacililalea an
lem du-aolue,. Therapy and lherapeutic
mler~e\11ted elemenlll cenlral to a thera- phor oí lhe client'1 111perience. elaboralion oí the mulliple realitiea aboul
converaatiun are p roceaaea in which the
peul1c converBalion. 6. The th1ropi,t i, a ,_,,-tful r;,. •. 1M problem in lhe inlereat oí ma1imizing
changing la nguage a nd meaninit oí problem
l. The lheropial llr.epa inquiry within
the paramr.trra o/ the probl1m a,
t~n.er who doca "°' undcntand too quit:ldy 1M creation oí new meaning.
l The th,rapi,t maintoin• o diologi- definition yield a dis-soluing of lhe proh -
(1/ euer). The more qulcldy a 'theraplat
lem and, l herefore, t he di.,~nluing oí the
dr~mhrd hy tht cli,nta. Thil ÍI arcnm- undenlanda people, \be a.. opporwnlt / tal tnnwr,otion with hinudf or h,rsel/.
problem-organizing 11yst.em.
pli11htd in • wny lhal expanda opliona for l~are la íor_dialOIUI, and \be mort OPfWW.1,,, ; Tllal la, the therapiat mual develop lhe
new meaninic. Theae new meaning1 muat be mly fo~ m11undencan4inl. Undlll&andlna abilily to enterlain multiple viewa even
such that thl'y reapecl ali memben of lhe too qu1ckly ND1 tbe·ffak ot blockislstllt llhen lha participanl olhe r is himaelf or Therapltl Role
problem-organizing 11yslem, including the d_evelopmanl of n-,,r iiieanJ• (..- ffl• llanalí. Thi, la neceaaary in order lhal nol
therapiat. Tuwnrd thl1 end, lhe lherapial llve) for lhe client and~ u!,ap1aL"' 11111 ldea, or any ai¡grei¡ale of ideas, monop -
The poaition and e11perti~e of t he lhera-
pial írom Lhia per■pective oí lherapy an<l
si.Aya clu11e to lhe umlenlandin¡ of lhe 6. Tht th.,:opi,t o,l, q~u&ion,, 111,. oliw Lhinking. Ali viewt and ideu of lhe
momrnl., workA wilhin il, and 11luwly Hlltll oruwtra 111 wh1ch r,quir, n,u, qu,.,;,.,., lller1pi1l are lenlalive, on the way and chanite i11 lwoíold: (a) the therapi1l i1 a
_.,üill:e>
PAMILY rROCISI ANOBRSON ANl> GOOl.lllHIAH
- on hi■ or her et.hl<:9- For eump\r. , the idea
·h . t. d...- nut. control t.he
part ir,pant ob11,ri•f'r. and (b) the therapiat piola around which wa orsaniza ounalvu 1 p r -. Th e t. erap11 t.' oí "empowerin1" clienta ia an upr-■ion of
\_ IDtarview by iot\uencing t.he cunvana ,on
is a participant mana1trr uf conuer,atiun. with each other. ) 1oward a particular direct.ion in t.he 18ntl8 oí thi1 view. The 1econd víew requires t.hat.
Put another way, uainc Rorty'a (66)
Participant Ohururr metaphor of the mirror, the therapiat. ia nol ~)conlent. or out.come, nor i1 the therapi11t. lhe therapi11l'a elhiet1 mu11l he shielded and
aimply a mirror reflecün1 more accurale ,- r11pon1ible Cor the direct.ion of chan1e .. The that. he or ■ he mual serve a11 • hlank acreen,
The p roblem ll)'lllem i11 conaidered one
kind of oh11e rvi n¡c ay11l.em (20) and ali mem - repreeentation1 of reality for t.he clienta' . . lherapial i• only reaponaihle for creatm1 • that. is, the therapi11l doe■ nol take a poei -
hera ore lhuu,cht ufª" participant obaerv- benefit. Therapy la not a procesa oí mlnor · ,paca in which a dialoaical convenati9n tion.
era. Hence, t he úirrapi~t,i11 a member of the poliahing wheraby tha therapiat inspacta, can occur and íor cont.inually ateerinl( Lhe Wa, aa therapi ■ ta, are elweys taking p09i-
p ruhl.,m ll_v11 lem and, a11 a participanl rapain, and paliah• deíecUve mlrron IO convanalion in a dialol(ical direclion . Liun1. A• lherapisll we are never void o(
ohMerver. ¡,. in an e¡caliLArian 11nd nonhier- thal t.he clienl can att.ain more acC\nate Bralen (10, 11) deacribell thi ■ proceu a ■ valun and elway11 operate on the baais of
int.eraubjective. By Lhia he maana • dia - lheH viewf, Th- !'rejudice11, however, ~r•
archical po11i ti1111. a11 are I he uther membera.
A1 a ¡,artici1111nt 11h11erver, the Lherapial ia
repreaent.at.iona oí the .. , .., .. peycholotical
world. lolue In which ali participant.11 can make not impoeed on chante. R.ther, therepaat I
room for Lhe creetivily and coneciuu■neu and client in dialo,ue with one anolher are
nut l'on11id ere<l to l>e " met.a" lo lhe ayat.em
hein11. treated . The \.herapiat becomea a Participant Manager o/ Conueraation ol•ch other. elwaya acting on and retlectin¡ their ideol- I
memhe r o{ the 11rob\em ayal.em, and t.hi1 The t.herapist. ia a mular convenat.ional The creat.in1 ·oí • ■pace Cor, and tha 01iea, their valuea, and l.heir view■ . To be in
p<Wliüun fmm1 ali 1100n u the tharapiat. art.i1t., an archit.ect. oC dialotue . whoee racilitat.ion oí a dial01ical convenation i■ dial01ue ia lo atlempl lo underatand other1
hev.in11 11,\l<.in11. with any ¡ietM>n(a) aboul a Hpeñille ia creatins and maint.ainins • eantral lo l.he therapist po11itionin1 de- and Lo involve oneeelf in tha coevolution oí
prnh\em. dial01ical convanation. Thia nquiree cn- acribad above. Thie poeition ia more t.han undent.anding and meaninl(. Thi11 implíea
T hiR lher11pi11t poaition i11 collahorative. at.ln1 a epaca Cor and faciUt.aUn1 a conver• - oí ,imple neutralit.y. ll is ona oí mulli - an opann- lo the "ri1htnr.111," the lo1Lit: .
lt i11 onr uf mut.uality, modeaty, and reapecl ut.ion auch that. it. ramalna in a dlaloSic put.iality, Lakins all sidu and workin1 and the validity of the ideo\ogiea, valuea,
for a nd ahou\ people and lhair ideu. The domain. In auch a Pl'OCNB. lhe opport.unlt.y wit.hin all vi•- eimultaneously. Al thera- and viewa uf our clienta, and Lhe wíllin1neu
LherapiaL i11 " in there" a11 a laarnar, cooper- Cor communicalion N1ardins the .. prob- piala, we all hold valuee, bi-. and preju- lo nesoUale the validít.y oí our own.
aLin¡¡ with . atlemptin¡c \.o underat.and, and lem" ia rnaximlud; MW daacrlpUone ariaa, clic:ea; and wa all have opinions about For ua, t.hís is neut.rality. Naulrality la
wurkrn¡c with in t.he client'• maanin1 1ya- n- meaninp aN 1enerat.cl, and, than- paopla and about how ali or u■ 1hould or nol not havin1 a poeilion but., rat.har, 1
Lem . Client'11 ideu, t.heir 11.oriea and narra- fore, new social or¡ani..Uon will occur abould nol conduct our livu. Such prejud1- always evolving new intarpretive poaition1
t
l ive11, are the only availal>le t.c,ola we hava to around diffarent. narratlVel. Thia dial01lcal -nta ara eimply thare. Wa cannot. be u a reault. oí dialo¡ical communicative
keep our,1elve11 and our clienta open and 1pace can be llkenad to \he lma¡inuy Wank ■creen■. We think oí lh- prejud1- action and the re■ ultin1, chan1in1 realiti~.
flexihle \.o Lhe developmenl of new mean- "Fifth Province" In lriah myt.boloo when 11anta u opport.unit.iee. That ia, t.hey ara Therapaut.ic conven.\ion and thi1 kind of
inl( and underatandin1, Put. another way, memben of lhe four provincee, .. (olaucbl ah. enero to apark curloeily and the driva nautralit.y requiree a willin1n... Lo pul ~f
th ia t herapiat. poeition movea tharapy in -ti. of conftlct. and compet.lt.ion frc,a lp explore ol.her ldeu. To be a~I• lo t.ake a one'• prejudicea on t.he line and to ta\J.i
Loward R proceM in which ali participanta, which there appeared no ••11.." would aaeel aulU-part.ial poait.ion raquiree that we are Nrioualy the claima Lo validity raiaad by ¡
indudin,c t.he t.herapiat, can be open t.o t.o dia-poaition (46, p. 118). Tod-,ibe W. wlWns and ready to riak ent.art.ainins alt.er - our clienta l26) , and, t.hus, t.o riak havin1 l
chan¡ce, 11nd in which lhe meanins and ftfl.h province, McCanhy and Byrne (411 lll&ive oplniona and meanin1• (26). That. i1, one'a own viewa expoeed, challen1od, and
inte¡¡rity oí no une i1 challen1ed. quot.a Hedemian and ~~:, (~: ' , · · IMrapiata muat. be u able l.o let. 10 of old chanaed. The int.earity or no one ia chal-
In thi11 íramework, the therapiat doea not ._olnp juat. u we Hpact. our clien\11.o be len1ad.
ent.er wilh an overarchin1 map oí payc:bo- lble Lo do ao. Only by riakins chan¡e are we 1
logical and 110Cial thaory recardin1 h~man lble to •111aa• In the mutual convenation Olagnoel, and Problem Deflnltlon
nalure and human dilficulUea, a map on aad dlalo&ue that permil new undant.and- Tha UN oí dia1noeí1 and dial(noatic cat.e-
which t.c, fil the clinical dat.a and, l.hua, tha ... to develop. 1oriee enjoya a lnn1 hiatory in tha field QÍ
client. Halher, therapillt and client erute Jn thia proc:e. tha \herapiat. chan¡ea. For mental heal\h. For many . diagnoei• i■ con-
the ma1H1 together-the therapeutic reaU· , -. \be willincMa to riak and under10 aidered t.o ha central lo the fiald ur paychq -
tiee. Frum the initial cont.act. and throu¡b-
out the therapeutic relal.iu"-hlp, the
-nce
• cllaop ia t.he of therapeuUc et.hica. therapy.W• oítan hear queationa )lite
Wt would hold that. the only penon the "How do you treal achizophranial" nr
thera p isL and client are en,aged In c:oUabo- · IMrapiat. c:hans• in l.he therapy conault.a- "How do you t.reat. Hllual abuH?" The
l · ~ it hlmaelC or henetr. Thia pqait.ion ia in theoretical and Paraonian uaumptiol\ in
ratively creat.in1 deacriptiona and 1&orielt.
le. ia aa ií the "talkin1" therap~ "'uah 11"-
life itMlí, Are tha opporLua,l~y Lo develup
·•lraat.
~ i' to t.he t.wo prevailins viewa oí euch quHt.io~ ia t.hal t.here 11 a pro~lem
7 '·. ~ Th• ftnt requir• Lhat !.he t.herapial that. Hista ipl aome commq" ,RJ\lerl\ or
and explore new detieripUo,,. U..mw., •"9 t · · 'lake a 1t.rons at.and and t.ake ac:\ion bued redundaricy aaaociatad with "rtlcul,r
1 •
\ ,.., Prec .. Vul. 27. ~unat>rr 19#18
rAMII.Y rRoc~,.
, ctt~, ~ , -l ,~~M ~l N.I to R
ome Pll'- UCOIIUION ANO 0001,IAIIIAN / :187
t1o. ~ ,u l u~t of ~"'~' !tl flh'ture. Á.!4. t'lini - tu tt ive. \11> the notion th1t our word1 do not
r"lll"Ct anti fi!t>tNenl 1uch a ,.alltu G' 1 llap•by-1tep quo1l for lhe 11n1wer which po11edly "1fücovered ." A1 th1r1pi1ll, our
,'11.N\.' '"' ~"' t.._m~ lo lmow what lht- ('l7 ) f v • u ann lttd• lhtm lo three prupoaillon11: (11) lhe tendency le lo overlook our 11ctlv1 1111rtlci -
,..,.lt"n~, liltl{I ~tr,k'\11"" 1"º"11.. 1·11.1-.e.
. W - . • o~ eum11le, complaina lhal the cu,,
t rau"'-t ll\ N'('\!fltl\iu thf'm and lo diqnote
" are te n~.•h•~ lo • relalivlal (con1truclivi1U
ldtnlllication of 11ny 11lven 1cll11n 11111uhje1:l
lolnllnlte ra11l11ln11; (h) lhe 11nchor &H1lnl for
flªtlon in Lhe hehavloral cnntlrn111líon oí
our precletermined hypolhe11r.11 ""'' 11lN,c •
t~.._ h 11t ' " ' " l'lf>lit-í. htiw...,..,. lhat, in lhe poa1t1on in family lheory movee too quickly
111y 1iv1n idenlillcallon reliee un a nelwork no11e1. Equally imporf.:t!nl i11 lhr facl thal
• ndl. ~llu n ,-,. " ' unl\• om own d-«1p,mn1
~ · ,· away írom lht repreeen&atlon of f1mily ol lnterdependenl 111d conlin11ou1dy modi, cllenll al■o brin¡ bi111ee and 11al11ea lhal
structure. Some of lhi1 concern ■Mma
f'll l • na t ttw1, o( U1" 1iruhlem. 'l'hat is 61bl1 inlerpre lallon1; and (el 11ny Rlvr.n inlluence thelr l!lfltctatlon, oí the thera•
t~ t~tAfil-~l ,....,-h"" " tliqno1i1 lhRl ¡~ e~bedded in a kind of nihili■tlc ftar. How IC'tion i1 11u hjecl l.o mulliple ldenlillcali11n1, pí11t and oí lhera py. Throuich lhr11e h i 111e■
w1II we lmow whal to do Ir w1 1ive up our lht relalive auperio rily o( which i ■ pruh• lhey lll tAt r the 1cl ion1 oí the th er11 pi11 l 11nd
t..~ t ''" h1.., or he r privRte ol111er11atiol\ll
t-mpiric~I. poeitiona and call lnto queatlon
~nd '" 111w-ri~1t"f'!'I oí lhe rlienl'a hehavior. ltmalic (pp. 62- 64) . J1111e111:110, in 111imilar fi nd conlirm1tion ío r thei r own upeclan -
l ~ 1v1'"ate u h11er"-lion11 are lhe M>·
mir íamihar proceaaea oí di111noei1? Vet, we nin, 1u11Hll lhat we often llnd whal we ciee. 1n our view, lhe iníormRlion thal the
cannot eticape lht cuncluaion th1t our lr■ • upecl In our p1ychol1111ical re11earc•h (we clie nl preHnlll, 18 well 1111 t he in fnrm at l,111
caUe<I •>l•J'N:'l i~ l'titeria lhal lhe lherapial
t h icl\ h L, 0 1110 • d ia,tnoalic or normalive d itional, dia,noatic technolo¡iea are baMd wuuld add our dia¡¡nc111lic 11eRrch). He lhal developa in lhe therapy procea11, i■ •
on • c11terori1in1 oí cnmmonalitiea 1cr1111 tlaim■ thal thi111elí-confirm11lion i11 a re11ull producl of 1ocial exchan¡¡e. Gidden11 (26)
m.p.. H Pn ~. u 1ihMnrer and petteiver lhe
problema and related aocial atructur-. olproceuin1 iníormalion in 11electiv1 way■ reíerred lo lh ia proceu of mutual confir -
lhenl)~ l is lhou,chl lo act u a "rati\•r Thi■ doea nol aeem to ua to be an adequala malion and evolution in la ngu age a■ the
and, more imporlantly, a re11ult oí our
p&s&t'"" fl"t•1¡1ienl and inl"!Crat.or oí aveil- deacriplion for workin1 with 1y1tem1 11pedanci11, which aclively cauaee ua lo "double hermeneulic" of t he ■ ocial
a ble in fon1111l io11" (5, ¡,. 42). In lhia widely dtfined u 111i1li"lf only In lhe ■hi(\in, 11cienc1!11. The burden of prohlem definition
1licil lhoee behavior■ that conllrm our the-
~ Id and \radi t i11n1I view, lbe lherapial hu aanda of langua¡e, meaninc, and narrative. or diagnoei, i11 nol a maller of therapial
oria.
lhe "'l)l"('1a l 11latt1.., uf an e11¡1erl wilh ac:ceu Our view holda lhal uch obtervation, each For eumple, it i11 nol 1urpri1ing lhal obeervation, bul .more a matler of conve r •
tu 111l ..111u•h••11 a m i lanowleclite reiardin¡ problem deacripuon, each undenlandinc. lamily lherapi1ll when c1lled upon l41 role - ulion and communicative ■,cr e~men l .
l h ~ 1 l , r h l 1 4 • ' ,h ) each lrulmenl ia unique to lhe communl- That ie, holh therapiala and clienta joinl ly
,&.1 a (amily will, almo■ l withoul ucep -
11 .. , ,. ,.,,, •• , n.,11 ..n ,.¡ daa,cn.•ia em - ut1n¡ realiliea in which wa perticipeta. ,._, inv■ nl a í1m1ly lhel uemplifiee lhe p ■ rlicipale in the creation o í lhe d ía¡c 11,111i11,
1,, . , - l h~ ul.-a lhal lt-.re • en uhjklÍYI Th- rulitiea an alwaya in flua and .,._ 1Mor1Ucal po■ iliun uí alruclurel íam ily or whal we prefer lo call the problem defi -
,,, ..1,1.. en 111,I 1t.a1 l ~ 11.. ,a,ual c-an arrive ■ tey lhe ■ame. .Alllrapy. Du lh ... íamiliea uial urdo ther - nilion(e) .
• t a n .. 1,~,-, ,~-~ J~npllon o( thal prublem. One or lhe early challengen of lht apiela aimply liring them íurlh by lheir "Qia&noaia," in lhie view, i11 lillle more
Th,a , l n r rtl'llu n mduc.les quealiona regard- nolione oí objectivity and dualiam recard• lh■orelial eapectanciu? lt i■ our poaiLion tha'n a continuing conver11alion wil h all
•nt wha t IS wrun,c (for uample, nam• lhe ing diagnoeia in the · family therapy field lhal lhe latter i, more likely lhe caae. For who are 1haring a mutual concern and
pet lml,'IO'. the deíN.·t. ur lhe deficill; whal wu Bateaon (7). He challenged therapiala 111, lhia enmplifie■ lhe nolion lhal obaerv• alarm . Thia concern doe1 nol manda le con -
• n ,11 mal ayalem ia (heahhy individual, lo ¡ive up many of lheir typical diqn111lic !ns behavior■ (behavioral idenlificalion) in ■enaua; con■enaue regarding lhe nature of •
fam il_v. or l11ri•r •)"lltem); and whal actfon activitiea. Olher aoc:ial ■cientiata oulaidt lht therapy room tel11 the therapi1t lilLle, problem ia rarely achieved. Diagnn11 i11 lakea '
m w ll he tall en lo cure lhe pmhlem (lhal ia, lhe field of íamily therapy have alao and lhat more informalion i11 not net.'IA· place in a converealion lhal will produce
what •lrete,tiea and interventiona will move addreaaed thia aanae concern about objtc- aarily betler. We are, lherefore, compelled conalantly evolving and changing 1lurie11
lhm 11 \"lll.Pm ímm the patholocic:al to lhe tive dMCription aod dualiam (20, 23, 24, lo mainlain doubl and uncerlainty aboul and meaning. The refore , proh lem11, lhei r
M e llhy). Ohj,,ctiv• de,icription or diq- 26). Gergen (22), for e&la, 1iv• a íud• eur obaervationa and to hold more inleresl de1cripliom1, and those who ducribe and
noais in lh ia Panionian perspective ia linear natin1 e&la of lhe dilemma oí what ht In l.he multiple meaninga that people'a de fi ne them are alwaya in conl in uing Hu x.
and 1nlerventioniaL Thia lraditional poai- calla behavioral identifica&Jon-diqnoaia. .a..rvaüon1 and uperiencea have for The converaalions thal we engage in , aa we
tion r haract.ema mual paycholherapiee, He be¡ina with t.ht almple dilenuna: "111 thtm. In problem-or¡anizing ayal.ema theo• ■ truggle lo live in agreemenl wilh each
wbe\her they are orienled lo lhe individu- aee my guod friend1 Rea and Laun iy,diapoaia ia litUe more than tAlking with olher, are like íairy tales a nd alo rie■. They
al, cruup. íamily, o, lariar ayatem. approech each other al a IOCial pthtrln,. our'clitn&a aboul the problema u they, the are capahle o( infinite reviaion and reinler -
A ahifl from aocial atruct.ure to lhe lin• and Rou reach• out and momeatar"1 dienta, have identified them. pretation. Problema, in lhis lí nRuial ic
f\lÁtJc domain, • a way ol deacribi111 and touch• Laura'• bair, preciae1y •Jlat have 1 Moat lherapiall would quickly agree lhal metaphor, can be thought oí aa " l u mp■ oí
u ndentandinit problema. mova us from obaerved?" (p. 60). Tluou,h ad~ lhlir valuu and biuea intluence what they meaning" in a batter whose conaia lency ie
the nutiun o( empirical objecüvily and rep• about informaüon in t retroepec~y• COI• obeerve and thal lheir information proceaa• alwaya chan¡¡ing through dia logue.
l"fWfltatiunaJ lar,.uaie. ll ia not euy, how• te1l (MQuen~ ol evenf' occurri1J41 prior &u -, ia ■elective. Vel few would auhacrihe lo
Collaboral iue Prublem De/in ilio11
~r. In i iw up lhe nc>tion thal t.here ia • the acüon in quee~) ancl lo ao¡emersi .. lhl nolion lhat lheir upeclanciee (de11Crip•
conteat (rel,vant ev~la fpllo,,inl üe lift theoriu) determine client behavior Ae we have moved away from t he notion
reality uu l tlwre, thal lhere rally are da&a
waaUnJ l o l,e d.a,vered. lt ia al.o not uay action in queaüoo), be,-.... ,.._,oaa ■nd ali olher iuformation lhal i11 1up• that lherapis la poBSeaa an experl knowl -
l
39'1. 393
FAMILY PROCIIIS ANOIRSON ANI> c:001.l!IIIIAN
addrf'lll<, 11nnual meelin11 uí lhe Texu Auo- 1\4\. _ _ . f'l1iln•t1phy a nd 1hr m irror nf
27. Golann, S . On deacription ur íamily thera• U. Uppa, H . IJncrrau«-hun••n 1u ,iner hermr•
«-i11tion for Marria¡¡e and 1-'amily 1'herapy, neuticiachen loaili. Frankíor\: Klualar • naturr. Princet.on NJ: Princet.on Univer •
py. Family Proce•• 26: 331-340, 1987.
D111la,. TX . 19AA. 28. Goodman, N. Way• o/ worldmalii,... lndi- man, \938. 1ily PrM■, 1979.
1:1. 1),.11, l'.t-·. R•ynnd l-lomec•laAia: "l'ow11rd a anapoli■ IN: Hackelt Publiahin, Co., 44. Malurana, 1-1 .R. Bioh'ltY oí lan11ua¡te: ·' J'he. r,7 , Schwarurnan, ,J. Family lheory and tha
,·oncepl uí cuherence. Family Pr~H• 21 : 1978. aplatemol01y o{ rulity. In G.A. Millar,. aclenliftc ma\hod. Famil:, /'rucrH 23:
21 - 41, 1982. 29. Gooliahian, H.A. Bayond íamily \harapy: E. Lenneber1 (ad■.), P•ych11lo1y and biul- 223-236, 198".
14 . -· - - -. In Ae11rch oí lrulh: On the way to Soma lmplicaliona from ayatema theory. 011 o/ lan1ua1• and 1hnu11h1. N- York: . 68. S.lvini-Palazzoli, M., Boecolo, 1,., Cecchln,
d inical e pistemoln11y. Family Pr«eaa 21 : lnviled add,_ pr-nted al \h• annual Acadamic Pr-. 1978. G., 6 Prate, G. Parado• and counlrr-
4 07 - - ◄ 14, l9R2. meetin1 oí the American Paycholotfcal '6. - - , lt Varel1, F.J. 1'11r lrr, 11/ ltnrH11l- paradoz: A new model in the therap:, of
1r,. - - • . An inAtitule ·on lhflt,ry. Paper pre - Auocialion, Dlvlaion 43; S.n Frencilco 1d11: Th, biolo1ical rlH•II 11/ undrr•lond• thr family in ,chi•nphrenic tron•adion
M'nt.ed al the 42nd 111mual mttlin1 oí the CA, Auguat, 19116. in,. Boaton: New Science l,ibrary, 11187. (tranala&ad by E. V. Burt). New York;
AmPric,111 A-.cialion for Marria11e and !\O. - - • & Andenion, H. Lllnsu..• ayaloma 41. Mc:CarLhy, 1.C., lt Byrne, N.O. Ml■ -tekan Juan ~ronaon, 1978.
F1tm ily Ther1111y, San llie~u CA, 1984. and therapy: An ovolvins idea. Journal o/ Ion: Convena&iona un lh• problem uf 69. Sluski, C.E. Famill•. networb, end othar
16. - - . lJ 11derAlandin11 Rat.on and Malu- Paychotherapy 24: 629--6311. 1981. lncat in an lrlah conte•L Family Pr«eu ■ trance •hapee. American Family Ther•
r11na: Tuward a biolo11ical {oundaüon ror 31 . Haley, J. Re/lectiona an therapy ond aúlu J7: 181-199, 1988. apy A ..ociation New1leuer 19 (Sprinsl:
the aocial acience11. Journal o/ Marital 1tHay1. Wuhln,ton DC: Tbo raa1i, 47. Menda, C.L., Coddou, F ., 6 Malurana, 1-2.1986.
ond Fomi/y Th,ropy 11 : 1- 20, \986. Therapy lnaU&.ulo, 1981. H.R. The brln,ln1 {orth oí patholoey. An 60. Suu, T . Freud under analy1il. Nova . Tele-
\ 1 . - - . On the need for convanaüon in \he 32. Hars-, J. Beyond beyond; An ln&orvlew - y to he rud aloud by two, unpub- vi1ion pn11ram, Stetion WGBH, Boat.on,
(amily therapy li•ld. Journal a/ Marital wl\h Haiold A. Goollahlan. Journal o/ llahed manuacript, 1988. 1987.
ond Fomi/y Therapy 12: 26-29, 11Nl6. Syetorlftic 'l'Mrapy & 106-111, 1987. 41. Milla. O. What do {amlly therapiata have to 61. Wat.alawick, P . Hermetic pr&11ma•lhe~
18. -· - - , & f:uoliAhian , H. Order \hroqh 33. Hederman, M.P.. lt K•mey, R. leda.). n, learn rrom other aciencee? American or unkempt \hou1ht1 aboul 1111 laaue ol
fluclualion: An avolutlonary apla&emol• eran, bq: 8oM of lrWI 1tuaa. Dublla: Family ~rapy AHociation N,..,.1,uer Family Proceu. Family Proceu 21 : 401 -
011y íor human Ayalama. Auatralian Jour• Tbo Blockwaw Pna, 11112. .10(Wlnter): ~26. 1887. 403, 1982.
rinl o/ 1-'nmil_v Th,rapy :ll : 7&-184, UMU. 34. Hoft'iaan, L Foundetiofu o/ fomily ,,._,.. 41. Millar, G.A. La,..ua,e and •pe«h. San 62. - - (ad.). The inuenled reality. Naw
19. 1>oh.rly. W .•J. Qu ■ nla , quarka,and íamiliaa: py: A conceptual , , . _ , . far .,.,,_ Frutciaco: FrNman, 1981. York: W .W. Norton, 1984.
lm¡,liu1iuna uí quantum ph)'llic-a for f■ m • clMsn,e. N- York: Bulc Booka, 1811. IIO. Mlnuchin, 8 . Ponword. ln l~C. Wynne, 6.'\. - - , Waakland, J .H., & Pi ■ch, R.
ily rewud, . 1-'omily l'r,..-eu 25: 2◄ 11-264 ,
l!lllli.
36. - - . Beyoad ~ and -trol:,._,... 8.H. McOanlel, • T .T . Wehar (ad■ .). Sy•• Chal\llf! : Principl,a o/ prnhlr.m /ormatian