, Chapter 1
The History of Family Therapy: Evolution and Revolution
Chapter Overview
Family Therapy Through the Decades
Prior to the development of marriage and family therapy as a profession, older family members assisted
younger members and adult family members cared for the very young and the very old
Before 1940
focus in the United States was on the individual
society utilized clergy, lawyers, and doctors for advice and counsel
prevailing individual theories were psychoanalysis and behaviorism
Catalysts for the growth of family therapy
courses in family life education became popular
establishment of marriage and family training programs (e.g., Marriage Council of Philadelphia in
1932)
founding of the National Council on Family Relations in 1938 and the journal Marriage and Family
Living in 1939
county home extension agents educated and promoted understanding family dynamics
Family therapy: 1940 to 1949
establishment of the American Association of Marriage Counselors in 1942
first account of concurrent marital counseling published in 1948 by Bela Mittleman
research on families with a schizophrenic member by Theodore Litz
National Mental Health Act of 1946 funded research on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental
health disorders
Family therapy: 1950 to 1959
individual leaders dominated the profession
Nathan Ackerman used a psychoanalytical approach to understand and treat families
Gregory Bateson studied communication patterns in families with a schizophrenic member and
developed the double bind theory
double bind theory - two seemingly contradictory messages may exist simultaneously and lead to
confusion
Mental Research Institute was created by Don Jackson in Palo Alto, CA
changed problem conceptualization from a pathology oriented individual perspective to a more
relationship based orientation
brief therapy developed at MRI as one of the first new approaches to family therapy
Carl Whitaker pushed the conventional envelope by seeing spouses and children in therapy
set up the first family therapy conference at Sea Island, GA
Murray Bowen studied families with schizophrenic members
held therapy sessions with all family members present
pioneered theoretical thinking on the influence of previous generations on the mental health of
families
Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy developed contextual therapy focusing on the healing of human relationships
through trust and commitment
Family therapy: 1960 to 1969
An era of rapid growth in family therapy
Increase in training centers and academic programs in family therapy
Jay Haley, expanding on the work of Milton Erikson, developed strategic family therapy
emphasis on the therapist gaining and maintaining power during treatment
strategic therapy uses directives to assist clients to go beyond gaining insight
edited Family Process from 1961 to 1969, providing a means for to keep professions linked and
informed
Haley joined with Salvador Minuchin at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic in the late 1960's
, Salvador Minuchin developed structural family therapy, based on his work with the Wiltwyck School
for Boys
utilized minority community members as paraprofessionals to better relate to urban blacks and
Hispanics
Virginia Satir was the only woman among the family therapy pioneers
started seeing family members as a group in the 1950's
utilized touch and nurtured her clients, emphasizing self-esteem, compassion, and affective
congruence
published Conjoint Family Therapy in 1964 which stressed the importance of seeing distressed
couples together at the same time
Virginia Satir was an influential, charismatic leader
Carl Whitaker pioneered unconventional, spontaneous, sometimes outrageous appearing approaches,
designed to help families achieve freedom and growth
Family Process co-founded in 1961 by Don Jackson and Nathan Ackerman
Nathan Ackerman published Treating the Troubled Family in 1966, advocating closer therapist
involvement with families during treatment, being confrontive, and making covert issues overt
John Bell developed a family group therapy model, advocated that children 9 years and older should
participate in family therapy, and offered one of the first graduate family therapy courses in the United
States
Murray Bowen discovered that emotional reactivity in many families created undifferentiated family
ego mass (i.e., family members have difficulty maintaining their individual identities and actions)
Systems theory developed by Ludwig Von Bertalanffy in 1968
a way of looking at all parts of an organism simultaneously
a set of elements standing in interaction with one another
each element of a system is affected by what happens to any other element
the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
became the basis for most family therapy
less reliance on linear causality (direct cause and effect)
increased emphasis on circular causality (events are related through a series of repeating cycles or
loops)
family therapists seen as a specialists within the field
first license regulating family therapists granted in California in 1963
Institutes and training centers
Mental Research Institute continues its work in training and research
Family Therapy Institute of New York established with Nathan Ackerman as director
Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic developed innovative supervision techniques such as the 'bug in
the ear"
Family Therapy Institute of Philadelphia founded in 1964, merging the Eastern Pennsylvania
Psychiatric Institute and the Family Institute of Philadelphia
Boston Family Institute founded by Fred Duhl and David Kantor, focusing on expressive and dramatic
interventions and originating the family sculpting technique
Institute for Family Studies in Milan, Italy formed in 1967
an MRI based model that developed many innovative short term approaches
Family therapy: 1970 to 1979
rapid growth in AAMFT based partly on recognition as an accrediting body for marriage and family
training programs
The American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (AAMFC) changed its name to the
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) in 1977
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy founded by AAMFT in 1974
American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA) founded in 1977 to address clinical, research, and
teaching issues
AAMFT and AFTA agreed on distinct roles within the profession
AFTA concentrated on the exchange of ideas among advanced professionals
AAMFT focused on accreditation of training programs
family therapy continued to growth and become more refined outside of psychoanalytical traditions
, Nathan Ackerman died in 1971
the approaches of Carl Whitaker (experiential family therapy), Salvador Minuchin (structural family
therapy), and Jay Haley (strategic family therapy) gained in popularity and influence
Families and Family Therapy published in 1974 by Minuchin, serving as a practical training guide for
structural family therapy
Psychosomatic Families: Anorexia Nervosa in Context published by Minuchin and associates in 1978,
highlighting the power of the structural family therapy approach in working with this disorder
Influence of foreign therapies and therapists
family therapy grew rapidly in Europe, particularly in Milan, Italy
Milan associates
developed circular questioning (asking questions that highlight differences among family
members)
developed triadic questioning (asking a third member how two other members of the family relate)
emphasis on developing hypotheses about the family before treatment begins
utilized outside of session homework assignments that were often difficult and ritualistic
R.D. Laing, a British professional, created the term mystification to describe how some families mask
interactions between family members by giving contradictory or confusing explanations
Robin Skynner, from Great Britain, developed a brief psychoanalytic family therapy which
complemented the earlier work of Nathan Ackerman and Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy
Feminist theory and family therapy
feminists began to question whether or not some concepts of family therapy were oppressive to women
A Feminist Approach to Family Therapy was published in Family Process by Rachel Hare-Mustin in
1978
belief that sexism limits the psychological well-being of women and men and must not be tolerated
Family therapy: 1980 to 1989
marked by the retirement or death of many family therapy founders and leaders and the emergence of
new leaders
increase numbers of women leaders who created new theories which challenged older ones
Women's Project in Family Therapy in 1988 focused on gender free approaches to family therapy
increased numbers of individuals and associations devoted to family therapy, including the
International Association for Marriage and Family Counseling (IAMFC) of the American Counseling
Association and Division 43 (Family Psychology) of the American Psychological Association
increased levels of research in family therapy to provide evidence of the effectiveness of family
therapy
increased numbers of publication in the family therapy field, including the Family Therapy Networker
Creation of multisystemic therapy, an intensive family- and community-based approach for working
with juvenile offenders
recognition of family therapy as one of four core mental health providers eligible for federal training
grants
Family therapy: 1990 to 1999
family therapy became a more worldwide phenomenon, with associations, research, and training
institutes established across the globe
new theories were developed or refined
feminist family therapy examined gender sensitive issues in therapy rather than masculine or feminine
issues, per se
the reflecting team approach of Tom Anderson used clinical observers to discuss their impressions
with the therapist and the family, thus becoming a part of the therapeutic team
the therapeutic conversations model of Harlene Anderson and Harry Goolishian used a postmodern
approach in which the therapist relates to the family in a more collaborative, egalitarian partnership
the psychoeducational model of Carol Anderson emphasized teaching family members about multiple
aspects of mental illness, focusing on boundaries, hierarchy, and the integrity of subsystems
the internal family systems model of Richard Schwartz looks at both individual intrapsychic dynamics
and family systems
The History of Family Therapy: Evolution and Revolution
Chapter Overview
Family Therapy Through the Decades
Prior to the development of marriage and family therapy as a profession, older family members assisted
younger members and adult family members cared for the very young and the very old
Before 1940
focus in the United States was on the individual
society utilized clergy, lawyers, and doctors for advice and counsel
prevailing individual theories were psychoanalysis and behaviorism
Catalysts for the growth of family therapy
courses in family life education became popular
establishment of marriage and family training programs (e.g., Marriage Council of Philadelphia in
1932)
founding of the National Council on Family Relations in 1938 and the journal Marriage and Family
Living in 1939
county home extension agents educated and promoted understanding family dynamics
Family therapy: 1940 to 1949
establishment of the American Association of Marriage Counselors in 1942
first account of concurrent marital counseling published in 1948 by Bela Mittleman
research on families with a schizophrenic member by Theodore Litz
National Mental Health Act of 1946 funded research on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental
health disorders
Family therapy: 1950 to 1959
individual leaders dominated the profession
Nathan Ackerman used a psychoanalytical approach to understand and treat families
Gregory Bateson studied communication patterns in families with a schizophrenic member and
developed the double bind theory
double bind theory - two seemingly contradictory messages may exist simultaneously and lead to
confusion
Mental Research Institute was created by Don Jackson in Palo Alto, CA
changed problem conceptualization from a pathology oriented individual perspective to a more
relationship based orientation
brief therapy developed at MRI as one of the first new approaches to family therapy
Carl Whitaker pushed the conventional envelope by seeing spouses and children in therapy
set up the first family therapy conference at Sea Island, GA
Murray Bowen studied families with schizophrenic members
held therapy sessions with all family members present
pioneered theoretical thinking on the influence of previous generations on the mental health of
families
Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy developed contextual therapy focusing on the healing of human relationships
through trust and commitment
Family therapy: 1960 to 1969
An era of rapid growth in family therapy
Increase in training centers and academic programs in family therapy
Jay Haley, expanding on the work of Milton Erikson, developed strategic family therapy
emphasis on the therapist gaining and maintaining power during treatment
strategic therapy uses directives to assist clients to go beyond gaining insight
edited Family Process from 1961 to 1969, providing a means for to keep professions linked and
informed
Haley joined with Salvador Minuchin at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic in the late 1960's
, Salvador Minuchin developed structural family therapy, based on his work with the Wiltwyck School
for Boys
utilized minority community members as paraprofessionals to better relate to urban blacks and
Hispanics
Virginia Satir was the only woman among the family therapy pioneers
started seeing family members as a group in the 1950's
utilized touch and nurtured her clients, emphasizing self-esteem, compassion, and affective
congruence
published Conjoint Family Therapy in 1964 which stressed the importance of seeing distressed
couples together at the same time
Virginia Satir was an influential, charismatic leader
Carl Whitaker pioneered unconventional, spontaneous, sometimes outrageous appearing approaches,
designed to help families achieve freedom and growth
Family Process co-founded in 1961 by Don Jackson and Nathan Ackerman
Nathan Ackerman published Treating the Troubled Family in 1966, advocating closer therapist
involvement with families during treatment, being confrontive, and making covert issues overt
John Bell developed a family group therapy model, advocated that children 9 years and older should
participate in family therapy, and offered one of the first graduate family therapy courses in the United
States
Murray Bowen discovered that emotional reactivity in many families created undifferentiated family
ego mass (i.e., family members have difficulty maintaining their individual identities and actions)
Systems theory developed by Ludwig Von Bertalanffy in 1968
a way of looking at all parts of an organism simultaneously
a set of elements standing in interaction with one another
each element of a system is affected by what happens to any other element
the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
became the basis for most family therapy
less reliance on linear causality (direct cause and effect)
increased emphasis on circular causality (events are related through a series of repeating cycles or
loops)
family therapists seen as a specialists within the field
first license regulating family therapists granted in California in 1963
Institutes and training centers
Mental Research Institute continues its work in training and research
Family Therapy Institute of New York established with Nathan Ackerman as director
Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic developed innovative supervision techniques such as the 'bug in
the ear"
Family Therapy Institute of Philadelphia founded in 1964, merging the Eastern Pennsylvania
Psychiatric Institute and the Family Institute of Philadelphia
Boston Family Institute founded by Fred Duhl and David Kantor, focusing on expressive and dramatic
interventions and originating the family sculpting technique
Institute for Family Studies in Milan, Italy formed in 1967
an MRI based model that developed many innovative short term approaches
Family therapy: 1970 to 1979
rapid growth in AAMFT based partly on recognition as an accrediting body for marriage and family
training programs
The American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (AAMFC) changed its name to the
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) in 1977
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy founded by AAMFT in 1974
American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA) founded in 1977 to address clinical, research, and
teaching issues
AAMFT and AFTA agreed on distinct roles within the profession
AFTA concentrated on the exchange of ideas among advanced professionals
AAMFT focused on accreditation of training programs
family therapy continued to growth and become more refined outside of psychoanalytical traditions
, Nathan Ackerman died in 1971
the approaches of Carl Whitaker (experiential family therapy), Salvador Minuchin (structural family
therapy), and Jay Haley (strategic family therapy) gained in popularity and influence
Families and Family Therapy published in 1974 by Minuchin, serving as a practical training guide for
structural family therapy
Psychosomatic Families: Anorexia Nervosa in Context published by Minuchin and associates in 1978,
highlighting the power of the structural family therapy approach in working with this disorder
Influence of foreign therapies and therapists
family therapy grew rapidly in Europe, particularly in Milan, Italy
Milan associates
developed circular questioning (asking questions that highlight differences among family
members)
developed triadic questioning (asking a third member how two other members of the family relate)
emphasis on developing hypotheses about the family before treatment begins
utilized outside of session homework assignments that were often difficult and ritualistic
R.D. Laing, a British professional, created the term mystification to describe how some families mask
interactions between family members by giving contradictory or confusing explanations
Robin Skynner, from Great Britain, developed a brief psychoanalytic family therapy which
complemented the earlier work of Nathan Ackerman and Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy
Feminist theory and family therapy
feminists began to question whether or not some concepts of family therapy were oppressive to women
A Feminist Approach to Family Therapy was published in Family Process by Rachel Hare-Mustin in
1978
belief that sexism limits the psychological well-being of women and men and must not be tolerated
Family therapy: 1980 to 1989
marked by the retirement or death of many family therapy founders and leaders and the emergence of
new leaders
increase numbers of women leaders who created new theories which challenged older ones
Women's Project in Family Therapy in 1988 focused on gender free approaches to family therapy
increased numbers of individuals and associations devoted to family therapy, including the
International Association for Marriage and Family Counseling (IAMFC) of the American Counseling
Association and Division 43 (Family Psychology) of the American Psychological Association
increased levels of research in family therapy to provide evidence of the effectiveness of family
therapy
increased numbers of publication in the family therapy field, including the Family Therapy Networker
Creation of multisystemic therapy, an intensive family- and community-based approach for working
with juvenile offenders
recognition of family therapy as one of four core mental health providers eligible for federal training
grants
Family therapy: 1990 to 1999
family therapy became a more worldwide phenomenon, with associations, research, and training
institutes established across the globe
new theories were developed or refined
feminist family therapy examined gender sensitive issues in therapy rather than masculine or feminine
issues, per se
the reflecting team approach of Tom Anderson used clinical observers to discuss their impressions
with the therapist and the family, thus becoming a part of the therapeutic team
the therapeutic conversations model of Harlene Anderson and Harry Goolishian used a postmodern
approach in which the therapist relates to the family in a more collaborative, egalitarian partnership
the psychoeducational model of Carol Anderson emphasized teaching family members about multiple
aspects of mental illness, focusing on boundaries, hierarchy, and the integrity of subsystems
the internal family systems model of Richard Schwartz looks at both individual intrapsychic dynamics
and family systems
