MFT National Exam Study Guide
Questions with 100% Correct Answers
Who is the founder of Bowenian therapy? - ✔✔Murray Bowen & James
Framo (follower, although some argue he is more object-relations, he feels
he is transgenerational)
Which theory focuses on ledgers and balances? - ✔✔Contextual therapy
Who created the rubber fence theory? - ✔✔Wynn
Who created the term garage mechanic? - ✔✔Carl Whitaker
What is the emphasis in Bowenian therapy? - ✔✔Differentiation of self
What is Bowen's differentiation of self defined? - ✔✔refers to the autonomy
of function which results in being less reactive to family systems dynamics
and other members emotional states; the extent to which they have learned
to manage emotionality.
what is the core problem in Bowenian theory? - ✔✔triangles and emotional
reactivity
1
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
,what are Bowenian's key techniques? - ✔✔genogram and process
questions
who are the founders of experiential therapy? - ✔✔Virginia Satir & Carl
Whitaker
What is the emphasis in experiential therapy? - ✔✔authenticity and self-
actualization
what is the core problem in experiential therapy? - ✔✔emotional
suppression and mystification
what are key techniques used in experiential therapy? - ✔✔confrontation
and structured exercises
who are the founders of solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔Steve de Shazer
and Insoo Kim Berg
What is the emphasis in solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔language creates
reality
What is the core problem in solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔problem talk
what are key techniques used in solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔focusing
on solutions and identifying exceptions
who are the founders of strategic therapy? - ✔✔Don Jackson and Jay
Haley
2
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
,What is the emphasis in strategic therapy? - ✔✔homeostasis and feedback
loops
what is the core problem in strategic therapy? - ✔✔more-of-the-same
solutions
what are key techniques used in strategic therapy? - ✔✔reframing
directives
who are the founders of psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔Nathan Ackerman,
Henry Dicks, and Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy
What is the emphasis in psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔drives
self objects
internal objects
what are the core problems in psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔conflict
projective identification
fixation and regression
what are the key techniques used in psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔silence
and interpretation
who are the founders of narrative therapy? - ✔✔Michael White & David
Epston
3
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
, what is the emphasis in narrative therapy? - ✔✔Narrative theory & social
constructionism
what is the core problem in narrative therapy? - ✔✔problem-saturated
stories
What are key techniques used in narrative therapy? - ✔✔externalization,
identifying unique outcomes, & creating audiences of support
who are the founders of structural therapy? - ✔✔Salvador Minuchin
what is the emphasis in structural therapy? - ✔✔subsystems and
boundaries
what is the core problem in structural therapy? - ✔✔enmeshment and
disengagement
what are key techniques used in structural therapy? - ✔✔enactments and
boundary making
who are the founders of cognitive behavioral therapy? - ✔✔Gerald
Patterson, Robert Liberman, and Richard Stuart
what is the emphasis in cognitive behavioral therapy? - ✔✔reinforcement,
extinction, and schemas
what is the core problem in cognitive behavioral therapy? - ✔✔inadvertent
reinforcement and aversive control
4
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
Questions with 100% Correct Answers
Who is the founder of Bowenian therapy? - ✔✔Murray Bowen & James
Framo (follower, although some argue he is more object-relations, he feels
he is transgenerational)
Which theory focuses on ledgers and balances? - ✔✔Contextual therapy
Who created the rubber fence theory? - ✔✔Wynn
Who created the term garage mechanic? - ✔✔Carl Whitaker
What is the emphasis in Bowenian therapy? - ✔✔Differentiation of self
What is Bowen's differentiation of self defined? - ✔✔refers to the autonomy
of function which results in being less reactive to family systems dynamics
and other members emotional states; the extent to which they have learned
to manage emotionality.
what is the core problem in Bowenian theory? - ✔✔triangles and emotional
reactivity
1
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
,what are Bowenian's key techniques? - ✔✔genogram and process
questions
who are the founders of experiential therapy? - ✔✔Virginia Satir & Carl
Whitaker
What is the emphasis in experiential therapy? - ✔✔authenticity and self-
actualization
what is the core problem in experiential therapy? - ✔✔emotional
suppression and mystification
what are key techniques used in experiential therapy? - ✔✔confrontation
and structured exercises
who are the founders of solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔Steve de Shazer
and Insoo Kim Berg
What is the emphasis in solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔language creates
reality
What is the core problem in solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔problem talk
what are key techniques used in solution-focused therapy? - ✔✔focusing
on solutions and identifying exceptions
who are the founders of strategic therapy? - ✔✔Don Jackson and Jay
Haley
2
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
,What is the emphasis in strategic therapy? - ✔✔homeostasis and feedback
loops
what is the core problem in strategic therapy? - ✔✔more-of-the-same
solutions
what are key techniques used in strategic therapy? - ✔✔reframing
directives
who are the founders of psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔Nathan Ackerman,
Henry Dicks, and Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy
What is the emphasis in psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔drives
self objects
internal objects
what are the core problems in psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔conflict
projective identification
fixation and regression
what are the key techniques used in psychodynamic therapy? - ✔✔silence
and interpretation
who are the founders of narrative therapy? - ✔✔Michael White & David
Epston
3
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
, what is the emphasis in narrative therapy? - ✔✔Narrative theory & social
constructionism
what is the core problem in narrative therapy? - ✔✔problem-saturated
stories
What are key techniques used in narrative therapy? - ✔✔externalization,
identifying unique outcomes, & creating audiences of support
who are the founders of structural therapy? - ✔✔Salvador Minuchin
what is the emphasis in structural therapy? - ✔✔subsystems and
boundaries
what is the core problem in structural therapy? - ✔✔enmeshment and
disengagement
what are key techniques used in structural therapy? - ✔✔enactments and
boundary making
who are the founders of cognitive behavioral therapy? - ✔✔Gerald
Patterson, Robert Liberman, and Richard Stuart
what is the emphasis in cognitive behavioral therapy? - ✔✔reinforcement,
extinction, and schemas
what is the core problem in cognitive behavioral therapy? - ✔✔inadvertent
reinforcement and aversive control
4
©JOSHCLAY 2024/2025. YEAR PUBLISHED 2024.
