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FORTHCOMING ARTICLES .

The folluwini: artide~ will eppeer in Ílllure iesues of FAMILY PllOC&iS:

Spatialit_y of lhr Farnily'A lnner Strucl11re: Choice of Leena-Maria Blinnikka and


Se111 in Fam il,v Therapy Merkku Seilamaa VOlUME 27 • NUMBER 4
l11terndi111111I 'f'n,nlrnent of lntrnrlnhle Hir.rupH Monte Bohele
'f'lw :.!11 lj,11••1 i1111 T11~k wiLh F111nilie• of SchiwphreniC11: Linda Carler, ,Ion l.aclcl,
1Ji111er¡:1•11t l-'i111l inK• S11san R. Rohertaon, and

Vi olenn• 111111 tlw Sy•l emic View: The Prohlem of Power


Mum1y Alpert
Paul F. Dell
Human Systems as Linguistic Systems:
'f'he HurrPll -1.ennenl Hr.lnlioneh ip ln11enlory (HI.RI): Richard M. Ganley Preliminary and Evolving Ideas about the
Curm11 1111tl 1'11l.t'nlinl lJKeK with Femily S}'lltems
Ou11·111111•• 11f SyNll'mir/StrateKic Tenm ConRullalion: Rohert-,l11y Green and Mary mplications for Clinical Theory•
l. lll'N\'Ít•w Hntf OnP-Monlh lleRull.8 Herget
Mintf ,flud.v l'ellern~ oí S_vmptum 1:eneration HARLENE ANOERBON, Ph . 0 . t
Jamea L. Griffith, Meliua
HAROLD A . GOOLISHIAN, Ph.D . $
Elliott Griflilh, and IA,ia S
Slo11ik
Suci11I S.v•l1"111 l!t••p1111•P• Lo lluntinl(lon DiaeaRe Seymour Keuler and
Maurice Bloch
S111ne A•pet:1• uf l.onel ineRR in ~'emilies Tom Large
Fnm ily F11nt'I 1u11 i111( of M11fe Alcuhnlie11 and Their Fe- Michael R. Liepman, Ted 11
mnlt' l'arl 11r.rN tfurintc l'l'r iode uf Drinking and Abali - Nirenber1, Richard H.
neru:e From our tarlitll practict uf /amil_v Henct, for u.t, tht ,acial unil 11.it work wit/1
Doolittle, Ann M. Be11in.
14trapy al medica/ 1chou/1, priuatr /ami/y in thtrapy i, a linsuiatic 1y1lem dillin•
Thomu E. Brolfman, and
"ropy i111tilutt1, and public agencie,. ¡¡ui,hed by tho,t who are "in lan¡¡uagt "
Mark E. Babich
■r IIIOl'it wilh di/ficult populatiun, lhal about a probltm, ralhtr than by arbitrary
I• ExpreAAed r:motion 11n lndex of a Tranaactional Pro-
cc,s '! l. l'11ren1J1 ' AlíecLi11e Style
David J . Mildowiu, Mich..l
J. Goldatein, Jeri A.
•not rt1pond to curren! trtalmenl tec/1- and prtdtltrmintd conctpl1 o{ ,acial
ttltwit1 ha, rrmindtd u, a/ tht inadequa- organizalion. Wt call the therapy 1yatem
Doane, Keith H. Nuech111 -
,;,. o/ our thtorttical dt1cription1 and thr a problrm-organi1in¡¡, problem-di1-10/u-
lein, Angua M. Strachan.
uúlalian, a/ our txptrtist. Thi• u,orlt ha1 in111y11em.
Karen S. Snyder, and Ana alllfnctd our currtnl , tuoluing c/iniral
Magafaa-Amato Fnm Proc 27:371-393, 1988
tworyo, wt mout /rom thinlt ing o/ ~uman
IA Ex preAAt'tf Ernolion en Index nf a TranAacliunal Pro• Angua M. Strachan, DurulhJ
"'''"" a, aocial 1y1ttnu dt{intd by 1ociol
ce~•·! 11 . l'Rtienú CnpinK Style Feingold, Michael J. (iukl lffl11Uation (rolt and ,truclure) to thinlt-

'l'hl' l:1•11rKi" Fnmily q ,Sort: An OhRer11ational Meaaure


atein, David ,J. Miklowi11,
and Keith H. Nuecht.rltin
Karen Smilh Wampler,
Íttlo{ thtm a, di,tingui,hrd on lht ha.•i• a/
ÚIUiltic and communicaliue marhr1.
T HK de11elopment oí our thinkinit hes
been driven 011er time by our work
wilh chronic treaLmenL failures and court-
u[ F11niily F11nctiunin11 Charlea F. Halveraon, Jr., or a11ency-mandated caaea repreaenting
• 1\e 1111Jian ore llai.d In 1lph1be1k1I otdtr and
John J. Moort, •™'l,ynda •..iribuled equallJ lo IJle id- p,-nled in 11,e clinical problema invol11ing complei hu -
HenleyWal~ llida..,¡1a11,wr11inc. man atrugglea auch aa domeaLic violence,
1llaalor FK\IIIJ, G1l-1on l'amily l1111i1u1a, 1nd anual ■ buae, and chr~nic illneaa. Ita devel -
lnllJ, FaaU1 l1111ilule ul C...btld¡o, P.O. 0.,1 opment hu alao been driven by our consul ·
... ~ TX 77663-1~86.
1Dlnder, G a l - F1rail1 l111Ulula, 1nd Clinl•
tation work wilh, íor uampfe, child protec-
111 ' " ' - • Beylor Coll•• ol Medicino, o., .. ,,.
1.ive aervicea, women aheftera, and aduf t
•f!IFeallyPract.lce.. and juvenile probaLion agenciee; by our
· '' 1
371
tl4•711o/881'l704-o:J71/I02.00/0 o Family Pr~ lnc.
...,...ON ANI> GO()\.I S UIAH •a ,cleo\n&Y aoou\. human . beha.vio~••. and •• ~
FAMILV t-RlM" to'I' \.o 1.alL• par'- in 1.h• aya\..eff\ cu\lura\ phenomel\OR hke a rahamua phi •
.1 7l /
tniin i n" wur k wilh t he ever -.crowin,i vari -
e ty of """l r nlA a nd ment.al health profeA -
,.;unt1ls intf"re!itUd i n f,.mily therepy; and hy
h . h the C"ommuni coCinn ho• o
tem f o r w ,e . co io•l/.
rr.ltv anC'.- •p,rc. fi c
h
:1.
•· 1.herepy la une th•I
Any -•~___'>1:•tem '"d· aom• .. prnblem·· • .
coaleaceu aroun ed .
. . . In --P
.._,apial.•• ro\• \.\n& \anau•a• and 11\eanin&
,...ceae ~ c ...... L . _ d i a\oau• anin& \A.,..,.,d
M-
•·•OWÚIC &he problem
o4 ahs aye&cm itacl(.
" 1 . ,e
uin
\uao(lhy ." Wa would aaree wil.h lhi11 Jlnai -
lion and ew.\end il. lo ali (includin1 uur ownl
ond the d ,aao
M>Cial-acienlific lheoriea. Social acience
o u r rel-'f"llrc·h rlíortA. Our wur k h_,.,. pn•- ..: : relevance- and will be en&.. 111 Tluouah dialoaua, human ay.lama m11- theurin ara idenlo1iea invanled al 11
duc ed challe ntc i n,c convr raatiun• w1lh ? t.h - evnlvina lanauace and m~ni~I apeciflc to
it,,elf. apecific w il.A oraan1utinn ■nd •i-· 11111ly nolve \heir uwn lanauaae and con- mumem_in.time for praclical reuuna. 11. i11
~,.,. 11 nd amonf( uu,..,_eJ_
v e A,i:~;..v:~1.:~=~
th• t hri11J( forlh unl"eU.hnK cific lo il.A dia-aolulion an,und "lha prub• rw. ila meanin1. h ill Lhi• avolulionary, u if all ~ial Lheory involvea a "pre-
re,.urrrct J1llicull ,,ueAtiun11 Lh•l we. at. one
tin , r.. ch,nil('.ht fuuf t.r.en anAwered-íor lem." In 1.hia 11enae, lhe tharapy ■yal.am ia • lilculaUc p,_
\haL produces lha re11u- int.erprel.ed" world ol meanin1. Giddens
e,u,m p l~: Wha t i11 thera,,y?; What. are t.he ayalem 1.hat ia dialin¡tuiahad by "l.ha prob- llrilitl, paUerna, and pradict.abiliLiea lhaL (26) calla thia lhe "douhle hcrmenaul/c" ni
,im,lw u f 1.her11py?; Hnw i• the l.arl(el oí lem'" ralher lhan a aoc:lal a\ruc\ure \ha& !Mrapia&a 11.periaace u a1.iatJn, indepen- aoc:ial acience and lay lan,rua,e. Social
lrrelmena idrnlilied?; Whal i• chan11a?; dia1.in1tuiahea "lha problam.!' 7'M &11,,..
••llY ot, lhalr deecrlpüona and lhal 11eianca and lh• ~•ori• of paychothcrapy
and Whal i• lhe role oí lhe lherapial? peulic 1y1lem ia a problem-or~nui111. .__. modela lor undanlandin,. A proh• cannol i1nor• the cale1oriea UMd by peopla
problem-dia-1oluin, 1y1tem. ,-..,.nlain,, problena-dia-.oluin, •Y9· in lhe praclical or¡aniaalion oí aocial liía.
CURRENT FOUNDATIONAL PREIIISES • la u latellectual conatnlc\, j1111\ u On lha olhar hand, paopla uauma that lha
4. Tharapy la a lin¡ulaUc evanl lhal
In our elíuru l.o hrina naw •na-n to takea placa In whal - c:,ill a l.harapeullc "íaally'" 11 • coneuucl.loa. ll'or 1111, thla concapla oí aocial acienca and Lhaoriea oí
1.heae 1.rouhlina qunlinna, and In our eonvanaUon. Tha lherapauüc convaru• cw,.-••llutúJn ol l.harapy la a way ol paycholherapy are alemanla oí lhair con-
elfnrla \o ,·reale new opl.iona for waya nf Uon ia a mutual - c h and a:aploraU.. 1Wü1111·dla, - ftnd UNíul in our cllnlcal dud. Ona'a lhaorin oí p,1ycholherapy and
1.hinll inl( alM1ul. human ayalema, aboul lha Lhrouah dlalQIU8, a lwo-way a:ac:hanca, e -11, la ow l.aachln,, and In our ,_,ch. aocial aclance ara, íorl.unalely, alwaya
prohh•m• 1.h•y 11re"ftnl., and ahoul our criaacroaaina of ldaaa In whlch n- iann• Wa ello llave no doubl bul lhal our curranl. chan1ina u 1.ha lan1uaae daacribina une'•
1:apat·11y 111 worll wil.h 1.hem, we draw írom inp ara cont.inually avolvlna toward lM -&Nclioaa wlll conl.lnua l.o avolva Micial lnlaraclion and 1.ha conducl. u( ona"a
and •~pand upon liva rnain prami-: "dia-aolvlna" or probl•- and, l.h111, u.a -,aad &a.e undent.andlnp. füa chan1aa throuah tima. Thia makea for
1. Human ayal.ama ara lan,uqa-1aner- dlaaolvlna oí lha l.herapy IY■ l.am and.
a1 ,1111 and . a11nul1.a.-...l)I . maaninc-1anar- banca, l.ha proW.m-orr-,win,. probleaa•
a1in1 1y11..ema. Cummun,caúon and dia- dia-101.H,.. 1y1Cclll. CMn,c ú U.. cuala,.
.,_ &llaa. Our lheor--•
Ju■LM-,.- an luid, ■o an ou, id- anormoua difíicully and incrauaa lha
-11 u our im~ibilil.y o( pradicl.in1 human behav•
iiaciie- ol l.berapy an - ~ ae tempo- ior. h ia impmaibla Cor ua tA> chan1a or deny
courae drlm• .. ..-,al or1aniaa1.lon; Úlal ia, a cion o/ n•• me~ r~la ~ - -, ..._ ra&hw \bao u rapr-nt.aúona lhia aubjact•■ubjacl nature oí our aocial
aoc:iocullural ayalam ia l.ha prnducl. oí aoc:ial -&. Tha rola ol l.he \herapla le l.hal ola IMl _,_loa ■ocial raality. Wa uae our and paychotharapautic thaori•• and p rac-
communicauon r11.her lhan communlca- mular convanaüonal arda\--ul archll.act ~ wil.b ay.Lama in lharapy nol. lo liaa. ldaaa, undanl.andin¡a, lheoriea, and
liun be11111 a producl. oí or¡aniulion. oí dialoau-wbOM a:apañlae la la creorin, ...,_ ow lheoriM bul. ralbar, l.o aner- practicw will al..,aya be avo\vin1 and
Hence , 1in)I human ayal.em ia a lin¡uialic or o apace for and /acili&GCin, a diaqlcal paa U.. aauch for mora uaaíul waya oí chan1in1 ovar tima.
cummunicalive ayalam. The Chero,wulic convanalion. Th• therapiar i, ca pcartin- 6ialiilll about. daacribin,, and wurkina In l.hia arlic\a, wa introduce and elaho-
1y•lem i.• n lin11ui11ic- ayatem. panr-obaerwr ami ca parcic:ipanc-~, • U - ay■ l.anaa. ThMri• u waU aa ral.a our currenl thaoratica\ idea• e.nd aom e
'l . M..1111ina 11nd underal.andin1 ara n/ che therca~ucic conwraorio11. · ,-UC:. ot ,herapy and íamily l.harapy, in oí Üle implicaliona lhay hava for out c\ini-
Aot:ially ami inl.erauhjeclively conatrucl.ed. We have pravloualy \alkad about thaaa • Yiaw, an mon lika ideolo«i• abou\ cal lheory and practica aa l h - ideaa have
Ry inlerMuhjl'clive. we reíer t.o an avolvin¡ ideu under lhe rubrlc ol pn,Mena-d1IH• . . _ behavlor l.han dÑcriptiona \ha, avolved on lhla aomalima cur iou1 and
al.ale oí alí11in, in which 1.wo or more panpla mincd 1y1Cema (2, 3, 29, ao,
32). H-...r, _,._ lo IOdal raa\l\y. Llka all ldaolo- alwaya challan1in1 )C)Urney. We are ra-
111rtt (under11l.and) thal lhay ara a:aparl- wa ftad thal labellna i,a al~ a duprGUa ;.. \My are ■ub)ec:, Lo evo\utionary minded, ho..,avar, lhal a\thou¡h we are
encina lhe aame evanl in lha unaa -)'. p ~ . and our UN of l.hla lellll - - - . . . . . GINr U... 'Tberapy can be \ikanad ful\y lmmanad \n \ h - ide.u, wa do n ol
Mea.nin1 and unda,.tandina involve lhll unaal.iafact.ory . _ . l\ oonno-.. ,.. 11 a Pl'OCIIII ol lia\anlna Lo cllen\a c:ontlrm lnland \o convay lhal •• be\iava any of
inlerauhjeclive a:aperiance. Howavtr, I\ le lema u ft1.ad or invuianL 0n 111a a.tnlJ, ....._, upac\&Uona .., in \urn, \han- \ham have a "privi\a¡ad epia\emo\oeica\
under11\ood lhal a1rMmanl la fra1II• and -· ballava l.hal IY9WM ......... .._,."' • . . . , _ \helra. lt la no\ • cont\rma- ■tatua" (r,6, p . 20\ ), nor do wa pr...nl them
conl.inually open t.o renaaot.laúon and dia- ohan¡e, !!a'!tratabla,ud_. . - r a . ,._ _. el 111a n,._taUonal na\l\y of the aa an a\1.arnatin lhaory o( (ami\y \herapy.
a.,...._
pule. Wt do nol arrive al or ha" IMIIN"I la, \he mambenhlp ot lboukl •
•---Uon
...
~ U c \haory \ha, laoccurr\na. To \he con\.rary, \ha pa\h our idaaa haa
and under111.andin1 un\11 we talle comaunl• be \hou¡h, ot u ftud; 'a :\lle . . - -
calin 11clion, lhal ia,•"l•I• in eome •ean- deftniüon chana-. aocu
ina •1ttnaretin1 diacourN ur dlalOlue wil.hln Nor do •• wlah to •uaa-t '-' 11"►h-
U..........,. lilealr • \halla laldn& plac. tallan hu \ad ua \o q u•Uon \ha nolion oí
11 1M Oldlury \anauaa• of \ha aocial fami\y \harapy \\M\C. 1'0 becin, wa pretienl
our vi•"' of \ha evo\ulion oí \ha fie\d oí
• 11ya\r.m for whlch l.he ~munka_Uoa haa 1lmply 1Np, lnto ~ . .:. . . _ . ~ ,- a-
(IO) propoaea \ha\ paycho\harapy fami\y \henpy duri n1 lhe \a1l 3S yean, and
relevance. A thrra,wuClt •.Y•lflft 11 • •.Y•· Ucular ancl acll" aolu~ . .lller, IL • ._.,.., la DOl • eclenca bu\,, ra\her, "an of \he \wo con\radicloty direclion■ lhal -
' . 1 ' ., ·., •I
~ lpc.. Vol 17, Dc«Mbcr • •
r . 1
1 • 1 1
'.\74 /
FAMILY PROCM!i.~ / 375
lidievl' lhe íamily ~her11py field i11 taking, ANDIRSON AND l:OOLISHIAN
namely, un emph11R1R on koci11l RYRlemR ver- opment oí many new ideas. lt waa lhe work
lt hu inlerealed uw íor 1111me lime thal the underatanding oí human ayatema, the
ll\1!11111 t•111¡,hn~1!' o11 meaninl( RYRlemR. oí R~te11?n and hi1 reaearch group in com - problema Lhey preaent, 11nd how Lher11pi11lB
piychulogical problema 11eemin11ly appear,
mumca~ion and cybernetic theory that thanie 1hape, ami di1111µpear 011 ther11pi11LII' might more uaeíully under111.and 1111d work
THE FIRST WAVE ~ave th,a new field oí Lherapeutic endeavot wot1bulariea and de11eription1 change. The with Lhem. The firat direction appeera lo
. Aruuncl the early I\Hi011, Rome therapi11ta,
,ta maximum energy. Until the Palo Alto new challenge, we ht!lieve, is in examining he an exte~aion oí the underlyin¡¡ aa1111mp -
s1n1ull11nt'1111Rlv group publiahed their work on the doubl, '"rapista' ducripliona and, th1111, redefin- tiona oí the Lraditional and prevailing para-
. · 1100 r.eparately , were ex-
bi~d i~ 1956, m011t early family work waa inc the problema lhey work with. The digm in the social aciencea. Thi11 direclion
!1)º~1111< ntw nvenuP.11 in their clinical work .
mired m awkward tranaíormationa oí JIIIY· "newneu" in the early period waa lhe defi- derive11 meaning and understanding írom
1h111 w11~ " t.ime oí lhe rapid npanaion oí
11 chodynemic theori•. The double-bind tht• 1ition oí the problem 111 "the íamily." la obaerving palterna of social organi1.aLion
P yd1ody1111nli_c th.-orieR having I mejor
ory, haaed in communicative interaction, lhia atill a u11eíul concepl, or haa Lhe auch 81 atructure and role . For example,
íocuR _on Lhe mtr11psychic Ry11lem1 oí the
had the poweñul capacity to deacriht _,nce oí the problem ch1n1ted over time'? family therapiata have moved írom the
1nd1_v1du11I. Within thiK context, the pre-
human dilemmaa aa interactional in 11 the problem ia in Lhe e ye oí the be holder, individual t.o the conte1l (family) and from
v111linl( vipw helcl that aymµtoma and prob-
nature, and Creed the íamily work írom tht hu Lhe beholder changed? We 1uggeat the family to the conle1l of the larger social
lem11 mvolved unly the individual. P1ycho- conatrainta oí individual theory and tht
l11¡:icel rel ieí wu achieved through a language oí individual peychology. H1ley
lliat, over Lime, the dt(inition o/ tht prob- 1yalem. Within Lhia perapective, aocial •Y•·
ltm ha, chanRed. Lema c.an be underat.ood as having meaning
prul11n1:ed proceM oí be1.-c1ming aware of (31) hu deacribed thiuhift to the f1mily • Our intereat ia in propoaing differenl deriv~d f~pm obaerved -pallerna oí aocial
repreR11ed ÍeP-linl(& URociated with trau- a "bold conceptual leap." q1111tion1 and uaumptiona, and in devel- orgamz.at1on.
m11tir hi11t11ri1·ol development. However, Family therapy hu, no douht, markedly epin1 dilferent vocahularie11 and det1crip- The aecond direclion evident in the fam-
~orne im¡uii<itive clinician11 were workinl( changad mental health precticn, hui lÍIIIII. We are nol propoaing another Camily ily field i1 bued on lhe propoaition LhaL
with n,mplea clinical JH>pulationa that aomehow along the way it hu loat muat ol tbtory or model oí Lherapy, or a 11el oí 1y1tem1 can he deacribed aa exialinK only In
were uflen di111:n1111ed 1111 1chizophrenic and ita e1rly excit.ement. Many or the early altemative eoluliona t.o the usual problem11 language and communicaLive 1cLion.
clt>linqul'11I , ami with which the available, promiaee oí improved outcome 1nd ,lfi. allh• Camily Lherapy field. Kuhn (42) com- Within thia view, organiz.ation and alruc-
111011: •lt!rm psychodynamic Lreatmenl ciency h1ve not been realized, 1nd in many Mnta Lhat proponenlB oí differenL theoriea lure are Lhe evolving reaullAI of comm11nica ·
11eem!'d u1111lile 111 ío11ler chanl(e. w1ya the field dON not aeem to be rar ÍfOIII lor dilferent paradigma) apaak dilferenL tive exchantce, and, Lherefore, are locally
The11e thera¡,i11.8, repre11enLin1 a wide where iL atarted ovar 36 yean ago. For aome lan¡ua111. Thua, they npreu dilferent delermined Lhrough dialnl(ical exchange.
ran¡¡e of hackl(round1 and intereata, cliniciana, there Mema to be a growin, qnitive commjLmenlB th1t are 1uitable Thia poeition doe1 noL aeek univer11l or
responded Lo Lheir prohlem with a pioneer• dieaatiaíactiori witb family therapy. Minu- ud uaeful only in dilferent ñelda. Ali normaLive aocial parametera in deacribing
inl( 11pirit, and a new therapy 1y1tem chin (60) uka, "What la the t.erritory . . aciencea, diaciplinea, 1nd proíeuiona, how- aocial or11aniz.ation. On the contrary, the
evulvt•d : lht• íamily. In Lhi11 l(rnup, t.o men - have conquered?" (p. xi) . Dell (171 mr, can aurvive Lhe peraditcm Lh1L 11ave al.och81Lic complexilie■ laheletl and de-
t i1111 11 Íl'w, were Ackerman in New York; deacribea the í1mily therapy field u bein, !Mm birlh ií Lhey conLinue Lhe cunveraa- lined aa aocial 1y1tem1 are a re1111lt oí the
H11te1111n, ,1111:hon, Weakland, Salir, and in a 1Lagn1nt condition. "Where 1re tht lÍIIII 1nd diacourae LhaL will reaulL in chanl(- cont;nuing alrul(gle towartl 1111tleutanding
Heley in l'alo Altll' Howen in Topeka and warriora," wondera Auenwald (6, p. 18-19). ÍIIC ideu through changing deacriptiona. that occura between inleractinl( and com-
Wa11hinl(l11n ; Whitaker and Malone In We wonder, "What happened to the brand Hence, we are aimply offering our thou11hta munic1Lin11 peraon■. MeaninK and ■ocial
Atlanta; Lidz in Haltimore¡ Schelllen and new Idea, thia bold conceptual leap." 11 abaut the problema In the field a, wo etpe• 1y1tem1 are created in and through dia-
HirdwhiMtle in l'hil11delphi1; Wynne and í1mily therapy the beat map for lnformin, riaacl and define Lhem. We do lhia in the logue.
Singer in Wuhinl(ton 1ml Berkeley¡ and the queationa theraplate 11k and for undef • ,ioo.erlng 1piril that prevailad during the
Meanlng Derlved from Patterna or Social
Gou\iahi11n. Mat.-Grel(or, Serrano, and Rit• 1\andln¡ clinical pncdce? Ptrhape. In ·• lnlwave in Lhe hope Lhat we will be íorced
chie ir. <:a\veaton. lniLially, moat _,. Kuhnian (40) aenae, the 8eld la ln the 1\ap Organlzatlon
11 convene about, and deal with, en
unaw1ue oí the work oí oLhera, end the field of "normal aclenoe• In Ita developmenl fil In thia prevailing view (or converaation),
oí family therapy did noL become a public íamlly 1yatema paradipla, ualn¡ Lhe new
entily until the lat.e 19:iOa when pr... n\a• concepta almply • a mNN1 of probleta
,1....ave.
•Unly new aeL oí iAuea u our under•
llabdln, oí our clinical work contlm;1e1 to humar. 1y~tem1 are aeen 88 sociocultural
1yatem1 or11anized accordinK Lo role and
Lion11 were made al meetinp oí the Ameri- aolving. Parhape, and thla'la our 'view, t118 alruclure, end 81 characteri1.ed by at.abilily,
can P1ychi1tric Auociatiun end the Amtrl· problem la more ""ulvr I
an~ .. r1nu■• TWO DIRECTIONS: A DILEMMA IN hierarchy, power, and control. That ia,
can Ortho¡11ychiatric AunciaUon. Maybe the leap ~ 's.ol ao ar-.f
B:l)ar a:1J MEANINO 1ociocultural 1y1Lem1 are defined and
The emer«in11 íamily therapy fteld had and thla "bold• Dt'l!' 4F.cept,'~W noL dilrtt In our opinion, the field oí íamily ther• mainlain'4 by social or11aniz.ation throu11h
the ucitement 1nd held the promlN that la 1i1nlftcanUy from 4hi ~ " .. :IIPY la now movin¡ (continuin11 • convena• social role and M>Cial atructure. 1'hia aen-
charar.Leri~tic oí the flral wave in the davel• it pre1umed to r11pw,_,'. -~i ~ .•,.,'.· ' lioa) in Lwo oppoaing directiona concerning eral aocial Lheory, on which we believe moat

l ... ,._ v-, ¡; ,~...... ,w

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, .

lea. Prec .. Vul 27. Decrm~, /988


:l'iU J

~11 pmbl•n1., ~u1il an inc~{Uin¡¡ or ahrink-


rAMILY PROC:lla UlllllOII ANO COOl.lllltlAH
1 36\ ■
baaed in • P■r-.onian aociolacY. Mal\Y el
•nx numllf'r uí 1ieople and their involve- lhe ■ -.yin¡. ll ia lhio characleri1lic of dia\uau• ~havion (\he 1tnM pet1ple m11Le u( lhi1111
~nt. and ali problema in\.'Ufve a rontfo. implicationa ' U..t l a ~ • ayate- 1Ml11>ak.,. and conlinuu chan1t•• and U\•ir ac\lona) are ¡iven room, hroad-
ually l'fuu~il!Jle munina, dependen! un who cnncepta haw, for lha.-.py ara quit. contn• We believe lhel lheraµy ii< a proc:111111 o( ened, ahi(l.ed, and chanaed. Thert i• no
d icto,y to clinical praclic.. bUMI oa • 1q,&ndinc and aayina lh• "unuld"--lhe ulher raquired 0111.come.
is in ~ltvt1nt n1mmunicstive ac-üon with aocial lheory in which meaninc ia ~
whom fll any mument in time. The actora in ~ e n \ . throush dial.,.ue, uf new
u, interaction and in whlch .,-tema and
• pmbl,m l')'SIND will chan,u OYl!r time
idtu are ubjectilied on lht btaia oí eoc\11 ...._ and narrativ11 and, actually. lht From Orcllnary lo Tharapeullc Convaraa•
and. u tM- con\1e1Mtion chan¡ee, 10 does atal.ion ol naw hiaturi11. Therapy relita on Uon
atructure. Our intent ia nol to diamia • '-i laaoi\l neoure11 oí lhe "nut-yel•11id"
lh~ delined OI' dtsrribed problem wilh
abandon current faaily theory antl U... Convenalion and di1lo11ue alw1y1 rtAt.
which they at,uple. Thal ia. problema and il U. narratifte around which wa ur1ani&1
py. Rather, we wa-t that eome of U. on a írqile 11t oí condiliona. Thtse includa
the S)'Slem• organiud by them are not ~ in our conduct wilh •ch other.
fixed en1jtiN uiatin1 uver lime until t.hey
accepted concepta in \nditianal theory • 'l\il l'IIOUlCt ia in lha "circ\1 of lha unn• iuu• oí mutual reapacl and underallnd-
practice tona\nin our en.u..,. abiliU. .. ..-el,. Tht raaliul.ion ol cha1t1t R· opinione in1, a willin¡neu to lialln and llll on, '•
•~ re~uh-ed or repaired. Problema and t.hink and wor\ alrecti'ftly.
pr11hltm-c>rpni"l!1\l ay.ama ª" chan1ed
Wa wi\\ elabonte on how t.ha idea el ....,.._
. . -C01Dmunicaliva acl.ion, diaque, and
and IpRjudicea, and • mutuel
-kin1 of the ri11htn- ol whal ia aaid. The r
'
and rein\upre\ed ju.,\ u of\.en, and iuat u
n,pid\y, u \he o\her narra\ivea around human aya\ema • mtanU1& and ~
maanin¡ that deriva from converaalion ia
'l\la neourca ror chane•, the nol-~c- alwaya dependenl on • number oí evoivina
ayatema \nnelat. \o lhe tberapy IYl'- - , la not ..in.. lha uné:onacioua or any
w\·ú.-h ,i,,,e ur,taniff muninc and aocia\
er.chat\l(t . uound t.ht inwralatad notioaa ar lhtraii, ,/ • .-Jchic auuc:tuR. Thia re.iurca ia
iuu•. includins:
and chanp, t.herapiat rola, antl problea lll "in" lha ca\l or lhe biok111ical alnK:luR, • lht oc:cuiun for lhe conver11alion
W, liV1' with each ulher in • world of dt6niUon.
cun...-enalional narrative, and we undtr- • le it "in" a aocial 11.rUcluR 1uch u the • lha Rlalionahip u( the parlicipanla lo
sland IMJn<tlYtt and aach other t.hrouch laaily. TIiia neourca ia in lhe "circl, oí the uchother
chan¡cin¡c ftlurit11 and aelr-ducripliona. -,.-d." TIiia reeourca, thia capacily • whal each knowa of lha ailualion 1nd
A lon11 w1Lh Wit~enatein (64), we would
1'bt phlloaophar Gadamer of\en ci&111 l a r ~. ia in lha ability - hava "\O ba inunl 11( the othtra
phrue rrom Hana Lippa (43) who l&lla ia laacuac•" with each other and. in lan• • whal lh1 parlicipanta hopa lo 1ccom•
empha.~u lhal muninll (lhe co-craated
t.hat any lin¡uiatic acc:ount curiea witb il 1 ..... alwaya t.o davalop new lh1m11, n•~ pliah
narrali,·" 11.nd l hemalic n,tworu lhrouih ..circla of lhe unu~." Gadamer (111
whii:h - or¡[aniu and d,tine ouraelves and calla lhia tbt ..in&nily of tbt Wlllid." WMt 111nalivaa. and new 1lori11. Thniuah thia • the applicahle aocial and cullural conven-
othen) iA dtrived from t.ht inlaraubjectiva ia meant by ~ la \laat DO COIIUDWÜCllttl ....._ wt CO•crta\.l and cu-dtvtk'P the liona
and rommuni<"ati~ UN1 to which maaninc 1ccoont. no word. la complete. c:lear, _. --1c raalill11 around which wt have • the 1ver-chan11in1 intendtd meaninga o(
is puL Meanini and prohlMW lrt not airn- univoca!. Ali tarry oO.pohll IMIDlnp
· -1111 íor each other, and throuch which the participanta
ple d,ri'l.11ti,'P-I of ÍUnNll atruclurt and def- poaibla new. interpratationa \ba\ 1"911Wl't
w wu1111Unually no11ani11 our mutual livlns
. . our ae1r-d111tripliona. ~h.ans• raquirea Becauaa oí thia ftuidity, meanin11 and
inilinn. Ali Hulfman (:\,"I) hu indicaled, we exp~on and uticula\ion. Thla il DOt i.
-1111\cative ac\ion, dial111u1, and dia- underatandil\l in dialoeue and 1:unveraa•
no ~ H think of problema u "in.. tht
imply \bat lhe orisinal linpiMic - - - - . For lhlnpy, what ia raquirtd ia t.ha \ion aR alwaya •l'I i~_~rprelive 1clivity and
íamily. nr in any othn 1palially and wu deficient but. ~ . l.bat all COIUll-
50cially d,finffl uniL Problema an i.n t.ht nicativa 1ctiona IN an'bablla ~ tf
aaiatananc:e ol convenaüon, auch lhat lha alwaya in 1\111 and chan&•· 'l'here are no t
lisie or lht conlant o( a problam ayalam il fiaed and uniquely correcl aitualional (con•
inteBubjectivt' minds uf 1U who are t" poaible MW ~ ancl ~ .-il]y uplortd lhrllUlh inquiry. In ~r- la1tual) in\.lrprelaüona to 1uide • conver•
ad.i\-e communicat.ive u ~ ud. • Thua, \he aubject ud oont.at ol aU dia- .,.. out \hil txp\oration, ot.har daacr1p• aalion. Al\ f11Unin&, undenland_inK, and
sudi, are the.mselves aln)'I chan¡in,. lc,cue and dÍICOWll i9 00111 \O -volulfOWY lilM and m•ninp will •m•11• lha\ an no intarprtlation ia inherenlly neaollable 1nd
chane• in meanlar,••~ . . .,!~ lllpr labeltd In Wll'III• u a "probl1m." tanlaüva. Llkewiae, lhere are no fil.4
SOME lllPUCATIOHS ~OR CLNCAL
Uuouab thil p!OCelt'·ql ~ f~ "'s 1\1111 &lle proc:eaa of chansa. meani1111 llanaferred in convena~ion. ~11
TMEORY
'"unlaicl• Aa Gadmer ~ n. ~ ··.'l\erapy II a lllll\liaUc IC\ivity In which parlicipanta in a convenation luma w1th

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~ •

,,.. ,-~ Vol. 27, Dtttmlltr l!IM

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.. -
: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&ampla, 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&ampla 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 -

r- Ptoc . Ve,/ 27. D,umhrr 19811


FAMILY PROCIII ANOIRSON ANO GOOI.IIIHIAN ' :\~9
ed¡:e Lh11l 11llow11 Lhem Lo diagnose the onto- ÍIII interpret.aiiun. Neither due~ lt. imply prohlem deftnition ia makin1 room fo~ and
therapiat guidin1 the client to elaborate 011
logical reality nf 11 11y11tem or to define the hia or her view o( the problem. Kelly aleo lhal lha lherapi■t and the chent. wurk (!rupin1 the client'a view. Pre -U1111ned
prolilern , we have moved in the direction of believed that 'thia wu a crucial atep in lite laWard • con■en■u■- pmhlem definilion in l1hal1 t.hal wa oíl.en uaa t.o unci,n•uind uur
a cullahuraLive prohlem definition that therapiat '■ attempt to underatand lha '1ttrapy. There can be u many prohlem -work 1•t in tha way of collahorative proh•
hegins wilh uur i-uriuaity aboul what it ia client'a conatruct ayatem. lt ia impoaaiblt
4eñnil.iont u t.here are membera of I prob- lem defininK, and they uften dPM·rihe antf
thal people are concerned about, who ia ever to underalafld. (~ diq~oee) anybocly.
concf'rned, and who are the performen Ali we can ever ho~.lo underatand ia wha& lam-oraaniiin& 1y1lem. creale problema thal wa cannot work wit.h
that make up the communic•ting ayatem. it ia that othen aay to ua. For Kelly, ptr• Problem definitiona, like the mamber• . _.{for e1ample, achiiophrenia, juvenil• delin•
For u11. o pmhlf'm i11 i-11ncerned or alarmf'd aonal conatructa are aocl1Uy c:onat.ruded, lhlp uf a 1y1lem, are fluid. Thua, diqn1•ia quency, denial). lt ia never lwlpful to cre-
obj t'ct ion about ~omethin1 nr aomebody 11 IIOl achievin1 mutual aareement u to ate, or íreeie in apodictic cert.inty, • prob-
auiding mapa around which behavlon an what the problem ia. Rathar, dj11noeja la 1am dafinition that delia new munin, or
that .,omf'one i~ tryinR tu d11 1omethir11t
organind. Our view la that th. . ,.mapa" lllat early part oí t.he therapeullc contad converaational chanra. The reaultina lin-
about . A prohlem nial.A only if t.hare la
are intenubjecüve and lntlude t.ht &bera- nere the mambtra (communicaUn1 net• 1ulatic immohility becomea only a monolo-
cnmmunicative aclion-complaint or c:on- piat.
cern . A probleinuiat.a only ir il ladeacribed work) of t.ha problem eyalem are ldenlified 1ua. In monolorical converaation, that ie,
Problem deacriptiona muat be worltablt. 111d a dialO(Ue ia be¡un around t.helr multi- when an idea or a11reaate oí ideu domi-
and under11tnod by people In concerned or
By workable, wa do not mean to lmply a ,i.Yiewa u to t.ha nature oí t.ha "problem," nata, new CO•created underatandin1. new
a\armed communicalion with each other. lt
1elecUvity toward a particular 1oal O( a llteirdeacrlpüona, and the meaninp t.hat it ahared narrative, and mutual chan1e
i11 a 11\11\.emenl, a \in¡tuialic poaiüon t.hat
dlrec:Uonality, but, rat.htr, t.hat tbe préié. • ror thtm. Thia can ha done In many bacome increuin1ly iml)l•ible.
aomeonp lake11. U there i11 no lancuaged
of elaboraün¡ on daacripüona muat mcm r..ata, and it of'ten doea not requira that lt ia auy to alide into cert.aintiea, into
concern or complainl, there ia no problern.
in tha di,-ction o( openin¡ up rethv &bu · .U IDlmben oí t.he problem ayatem be in monulO(Uea lhat omit certain viewa or that
Towerd lhi,i end, we hegin the t.hera-
cloaln1 down, mobi111ln1 ratber th11 1111 conaultation room al the uma Ume. In hold viewa that riak lin1uiatic immobility-
peutil· proce1111 hy lalkin11 within the client'a
immobililin¡. To be workable, t.ha probl,■ ...1 IMtancea, auch u wilh a1ancy repre- whelher t.he viewa ara oura, our clienta', or
delinilion oí the prohlem. Wa wanl &o lmow
daacriptiona have to be undaratandablt m&al.ÍY91, t.harapeuüc converaaüon takea our colleacuea'. For inauince, in our 11peri-
all 1h, vi,..,. oí all oí tha mamben oí lhe
prohlem 1v11l■ m rf'«ardin, what lhey lhink
and mab aanaa to ali eftl81ad ln the ~ ,_. outalda o( t.he t.harapiat.'1 office. enea, taama atabliahed to maintain opeo-
1am aya&am. Problea dllcriptiOIII allll n.. deciaiona ara baaed un lha need t.o n - in therapy can by their deacriptiona
lhe prohlem 111 - thf'tr dial(n<-, lheir
anable poalüona o( aul,ual f'Npecl to lit 118bilaiD the tberapeuüc converaation in turn t.herapy into a cloaed proceaa. Teama
hypolhl:llt11, and lhtir lheoria In talkin¡ maintainad. The alaboration o( problema ·
aboul lhe problem, lhe lherapiat and lhe 1111 lntenat o( coevolvln, naw meanin¡. t.hat aim for conaanaua oíten riak minimi&-
bu to be auch tbat evwybody ln lhe ~ 1\ay are datarminad 1-■ion to aaaaion and in¡ opUona for bolh themaelv• and t.bair
clienl 11re in lhe proce111 uf creatin1 the 1am ayatem (inclodin¡ the tharaplat) cu
prublem(11l they will work un in therapy. participat.a In t.he c:han¡ias -.nin¡. h& lllchida bolh t.ha t.herapiat'a and t.ha cliant'1 clienta, and riak operatin, on t.ha ■-ump­
The lherapi11t duea not define tha problem,
another . .,. a t.herape11Uo....u"
nor doea lhe therapi11t 11teer the diacuuion creatad tbat ia ..payclaolofieally Nf•• for
muat lit
. _ aa &o wbo qaeda t.o be In convuaation tion tbat t.he team bu tha mora correct
willl wbom and whan. Th- clinlcal deci- dlqnoala or hypotheala. Count.er t.o thit ·
lialll are nol baaed on predeterminad theo- development, Anderaen ( 1) deacribaa whJt
luw11rd a problem delinition t.hat ia pre- averyona. lt ia only throuah t.he aomatl-
jud,ted by the therapiat to ha a mora uaeful alow coevoluüon of ...nin¡ and ~ · rill CODCernin¡ lhe relavant eocia1 atruc- he and hia collequ• call lhe "Rellectins
definition. By en¡a,rina in lhe therapeutic 1tandin1 tbat t.hla can laJr,e place. WW i. 1111'1 naceaary &o underatand and lrMt Team." Thia ia a proceaa whereby taaJD
convf'r11ation, 1h11 therapiat becomea a workable for one lherapil&, ~ • ~ •,athokv," nor an t.hey bued on hypolh- memben obaervin1 írom behind • one--y
memher nf the problem ayatem and, u not be workable f~ ~ - . · -pradetarmined to be more uaeful nar- mirror will lhen fully abare their lhot.,hta
' ,• . ' .
ll&i'9I for tbe aolutioo of t.he client'a prub- with tbe ÍaJ?!ily and therapial u a way uf
auch, hecome11 aa equally and ac:üvely .
...._ openin¡ convaraation and lhe devalopment
reaprn1sible for the co-crealion oí the prob- Problcm u,rau, hoWt,.,
. · la thia view, the traditional dlqnoaüc o( naw meanin¡. Aa t.he Reflectina Taam
lem definitiona and their rernedi• u la the Wben people ue ~Ullf ~ ~ , . _ and cateaoriea an o( lil.Ua uae operatea, t.he focua ia more on lhe hiatory
client. othtr, lt la not ~ , . .- ~ f .., ◄ - . . a probltm ia no mora t.han what and davelopment oí ideaa then it la OI\
Our re11po naibilily u therapiata, u have mul&iple o p ~ ~~ la •►, .. people involvad in t.ha communicative- . di81noatic _form~lationa or h ~
particiµant managera oí therapeulic con- t1nct and differeet
verution, ia in lhe coevolut.ion oC • CODYW• problun." Tbe p. . ... .
aatiunal contf'lt thal allowl íor a problem- view dol8 "°'
~
hnplJ ~ ~
,~"¡·~
'W ,
..:fll ... .... ayaa.m an ca1llns a problem. A Ourin¡ t.he mtarv,ew, t.he team behind t.ha
..... doaa not uiat in any commonally mirror .chanca placea ~it.h t~• family and
"ca"FtY, 'nlat ia, initially, our clienta t.harap11L I? converaaüon ••~ e_ach other,
defin ing ¡m'K.-eu. Thi1 ia • mutual proc-; thin, ...... P~ -~~ • ·wi~n • - - - \halr problem, nut tha lherapiat. lhe Reft~ün¡ Team a!'9r~ ,ta ~ wlth
the thP-rar>i111 i11 not ita direct.or. Thia 11 arnund a defini~ tha~.~ ,ai,,~ · 1\ul, &be btardan oC dlqnuaia ia awitched t.ht fam,ly and t.herap11L l'he f~mlly and
aimilar to Keu~•• (40 vitw1 oí Lhe Lhera• \ified patholoa. ~bl.i. . . ~ .... &be l,htrapial &o lhe clienL In ot.her t.herapiat t.hen have •. conve~uun 1boul
pi1l'11 rol~. which he conttp&ualiaed al ~ eventaaround ~ ~ ¡~•) wrdl. l.he finl 11,tp \oW1rd I collaborative tha team•• convenalion. Th11 m1y \aka
' ·•
r.a ,-__,Vel. 17. l>.«11111,,r IW
; J~JI )
FAMU.Y PROCKS., ANDll:RSON ANO GOOI.ISIIIAN / 391
1
;,,,,.e .,,,vNnl li mes durinl( Lhe coun1e oí a
orl(anizalion on the hasiR oí Rocial role ancl
.ses.,ion. The Rt'llecLinl( Te11rnll and Lheir Humana are underalood a11 me11nin1< -~ener - think oí no theory of paycholherapy thal
social !llructure ' and thal. defi nea pro bl ema 1ling ayatemM, aa a llowinl( nelwork oí has ever heen ahandoned hec11u11e uf clear
d ienl$ de ve lup idea,. ond new meaninKB ( P11 Lhology) 88 a defect in l
w,t h t>A,·h _11 l ht'r . In doinl( Lhi11 , Lhe.v are in f' d . t
■ ruc ure.
we inleracling ideaa and correlaled arlion11. obscrvation11I dala and evidenre.
the d u mnin u f ronversation, acli\'ely col- m . ll ~seíul to abandon thia model oí Thua, Lhe aocial unil we work wilh in lher -
social ac1ence and to focua more on the apy hecomea conetiluted hy lhoae who are
!11horn t 1111( with each olher and parlicipat- REFERENCES
1111( in Lht• ,le,·f'lopmenl oí new description11 wor1rl oí _m eaning and hermeneulica. Thia "in lsnguage" aboul whal for Lhem i11 11
1. AnderAen , T . The refleclinl[ te11m: lli11lc'l(ue
u rvlrr,. , R1Hl inl(ll, Rnd n11rr11tive!I. Such R~ model 11h1íta ~he world of therapy from lht problem. Such 11y11tem11 are characlerized and mete1 -di11ln1t11e in r.l inir.al work . F'nm -
wor1 d of pathological social ■truclure lo Lhe by communicalive aclion ralher Lhan hy
"I"'"· d. i11l11¡:
..
irnl IP11111 en11ily avoi1l,1 Lhe "d 1' -
world of meaning. Meaning and under, arbilrary anti pretleterm ined conce¡,ts uf _
ily Proceu 26: 411'>-42R. 191\1 .
11 K 11 " " 1' " s l rlll(l(le!I, c:ompel.ili1111a, ancl 2 Anderaoo, H .. Gooliahian, H .. 1'11lli11m . 1:., &
standing are developed by individual■ in 111ci1I alruclure. We call lhese prol,lem - Winderman. L. The Galvestun Family
p11we r m11nP11VPr!I de11crihed hy Holfm11n organizin11, problem-dit<-11Jlui111111y11Lem11.
converution with each other in their com- ln•lilu!A: Sume ¡,er•nn11l ancl hi•tnrir11i
CII,) _ l t ni,.., Pnh1111ce11 Lhc• 11p¡mrlunily for The procea11 of therapy , wilhin lhi11 view, per•pectivea. In n. F.frun lecl .l. ,/uurnry•
mon aLU!mpl.11 lo underatand other peraona
pr11l 1l1•111 dt-li11i11ic, 111111 11111" Lhera1,1y, Lo F.xparuinn• o/ thr •lrnu¡¡ic and •yat f' m,c
1111d Lhinl(B, other■' word■ and actiona. lhen become11 the crealion oí a conlexl or
lwcomt' 11 !lh iftinl(, revi11in1<, ond collabora - Meaning and under■ tandin¡ are thua inter• ,pece Cor dialogical cummunication. In thuapi,a. New York: Brunner/Ma1.el ,
li ve prm·eAA. auch a communicaLive ,pace, the member- 1986.
auhjective. Thia propoeed model i■ a ■hiíl 3. - - , Gooli1hian, H ., & Winderman, L .
from the acience oí ■ocial ■tructure to the ahip ol a problem-organi1.ing, problem-dia-
SUMMARY Problem delermined •y11tem•: Tow11rd11
acience of aemiotica. lt is a ahift to Lhe aolving ayat.em ia engaged in Lhe proceu of
tran,,formatinn in íamily therapy. Jour -
Some :\fl lo 40 year11 ago, lhere wa11 an world oí conver■atlon and dial01ue. developing new meaninl(I 1111d under11t.and - nal o/ Stratrgir nnd Sy•trmir Th..,upin
o pt i111i11111 rPl(11rdin1< fnmily lhernpy thaL lt would he an óbvioua exaggeration and in¡1-uplorinK Lhe unaaid. Therapy, in 5: l-14, 11186.
><Pcm" 1111mrwh11l e1111<1<er11Led loday. The mi ■ Lake lo BNúme that the entire raalm oí lhia view, becomea little more Lhan Lhe 4. Auenwald, &.H . Thinkina 1bo11t thinkinic
preva ilinl( vipw uf lhe early pioneer11 wa■ human growth and behavior, the ■cience oí opportunily Lo uplore new convenalion, in íamily therapy. Family Procru 24:
l h11 L f 11mily I hcrapy w1111 the paradi,tmalic paychology, can be uaumed under the rub- new lan¡uage, and new realitiea lhal are 1-12, 19&>.
11h ift Lh111 wuuld yield complet.e an11wera to ric of converaation and dialasue. Neverthe- compatible with our human t.endencie11 to 6. - - . Family therapy u • movemenl:
Lhe n1t•nt11I hP11hh prohlem11 faced hy clini - leaa, paychotherapeutic activity, the "talk- aUribute meaning to our nperience wilh Epi11lemolu11ical barrierA to onLolugical
c i111111. The prcv11ili111( view wa11 thal family ing cure," requirea dialoeue and takea place each other. The ayiit.ema we work with can freedom. Journal o/ Strntr11ir nnd S:v•-
be conceptuali7.ed u uiating in lan11u111(e temic Thrrapiu 5 (4): 14- 19, 1986.
l hernp_v 1lre11rv w1111 dPvelopin,t 110 rapidly in converaation. Such a proc:eaa muat be
thal it was only a maller of Lime before ba11ed on mutual undent.anding, reapect, a and, lherefore, the problema people have 6. - - . Epi1temolo11ical coníuaion in family
can be t.hou1ht to uiat. in language. The therapy and reaearch. Fomily Proceu 26:
lu1rd w11rk ancl 11.v11tematic inveati,talion willingneu to liaten and to hear, and an 311-330, 1981.
would gener11Le an integrated hody of openneu that ia hl1hli1hted by Nekin1 &he pi of t.herapy I■ to parlicipate in the
1. Rateaon, G. The cybernetie11 oí .. aelr': A
11c1enl'e ami dinic11I applicotion Lhat could "ri,rhtneu" oí whal la aaid rather lhan &he proceu oí developin, a convenational lheory o( alcoholiam . Psychiotr:v ,14: 1-18,
re1111lve ali major i1111ue11 in the lield oí J>IIY· pathology. Thia ia the euence oí lhera• t1chan1e in which problema dia-aolve and,
1911.
chothP.rapy. Tmla.v , family therapista and peutic converaation. ll ia a point of view ·therefore, problem-organi1.in1 ■yat.em■ di■- 8. - - . ,lackaon, D.D., Haley, ,l., & Weak -
Lheor i11L1 are more cauli11111111ho11t what will that reata aquarely on the propoaition lhat eolve. land , J . Toward a theory oí •chiz.ophrenia
he 11cc11mpli11hf'd wilhin the next thirly the quinteuence ol what we are, and wbat Our journey in our ■earch to under11tand Rrhouinral Scitncr /: 25 1 -264 , l!lfif\ .
yenrH (4M, r,11, ti5). While the o¡,timism hu we will be, ia dialoiical. The expertiN ol and work with human 11y11tem1 and lhe 9. Roadan, ,1 .1.. Family or,.ani7.11tion 111 an
nol enl irf'I}' v11ni11hed, the mooff ia more the therapi1t ia roo&ed In, and defined by, probl1m1 they prnent in more effective ecology oí ideu: An 11\tern11live lo lhe
waya ha1 led ua to lhet1e ideaa. They are reifkalion oí family 11yalemA. Fnmil_v Pro-
aomher . and Lher11 111 c11n11iderahle talk oí the caJ,1acity to riak participatlon In dla·
Lhe need íur inlPKraliun and even aome nolving ideaa t.hat, al thi11 point. in time, cru 2.1: :n~:\118, 191:14.
loKue and convenaüon, and lo rilk chana-
11keplic11l rnunlerclaima aboul. whether inic. The t.her,pial'1 compet,enc, I• In pro- aeem plau■ible l.o ua. However, we helieve 10. Rralen, S. The third p011ilinn: l\eyond arti -
ficial and 111lopoielic reduclin n. \n F.
farn ily Lherapy really workii. viding an atmoap.,.re whe".'lin iU have "" lhal ovar time and lhrouich converaal.ion
Geyer & J. van der Zouwen (eda.), Socio•
11 i11 our view lhal. family therapy, bued opportunit.y for ~l~lClll~ • . .n¡e. · an ÚleN ideu will alao chan11e. Our original
ry/1,~nr.tic porad1Jr.t1 : O b~rr11ofion , r nn -
on a 111ci11l theory rooted in Paraonian M>Ci- doing t.hi1, client, d-D)OQIUll,e Lhei, own apl.imiam regarding t.he future oí family trol ond r oolul ion o/ 1rlf-alttring •Y• ·
olog_v, h1111 m1j11r lhenrelical and practica! unique expertiee r-.ntlac thelr llvee. &Mir therapy hu ■ hifted to a more caut.ioua view ltnu . London: Sage Publica tiona, 198•.
limitalimu1. Par11onian 1ociolo«Y ÍI a then- problema, and their 110Cial nali&ia becau■e the accumulation oí inte11rated 11. - - . Par11di1m1 oí autonomy: Oial,,.ic11l
relir11I m1lfltl committed lo an objective In taking thia n..., 1direc&lon~lt Nema knowledge wlt.hin lhe acience of therapy or monolo¡¡ ic■ I ? In G. Teuhner (ed.).
view o( the human 1cience11 that dial.in- uaeful to di1ün¡uilh 1our cllnlcahrbrk and hu proved to he more dillicull l.han waa 1
A.utopoi ,., i, in lo w ond rncir l v. Ne"'
g11i11h1•M litlWt'l'II the ol111erver and lhe the a)'lltema we work ,riLh on ti,t-'8 of originally anlicipated. York: EUI Publicalinna, Hl81 . .
11l,11erved. lt is a model lhal delinea social lingui1tic and commui.lcallvi urken. Al Lhe end, we are reminded Lhat we can 12. Cecchin, G. Neulrality reviailed . Plt.nuy
FUI. r,,., . Vul 27. Orrrmhrr 1 ~

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.
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,·oncepl uí cuherence. Family Pr~H• 21 : 1978. aplatemol01y o{ rulity. In G.A. Millar,. aclenliftc ma\hod. Famil:, /'rucrH 23:
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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-
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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•
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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
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