Terms in Family Therapy Exam Questions and Answers Already Passed
Nathan Ackerman - Answers Theory of psychodynamic family counseling
Virginia Satir - Answers Experiential conjoint family therapist that popularized the notion that, in times
of stress, that family members use four inept patterns of communication; 1.) The Placator, 2.) The
Blamer, 3.) Reasonable analyzer who intellectualizes, 4.) Irrelevant distractor
Carl Whitaker - Answers is sometimes called the dean of experiential symbolic family therapy, wrote
"The Family Crucible" and known to be wild, crazy and use a co-therapist.
Murray Bowen - Answers created the genogram,
developed the Extended family systems theory and is a key name in Intergenerational Family Therapy
which uses posits uses these key terms 1.) Triangulation, 2.) Genogram, 3.) Fusion, 4.) Differientiation.
Murray Bowen's Key Terms and Their Meaning - Answers 1.) Triangulation-occurs when two people are
stressed bring a third party in to reduce the stress and restore equilibrium, 2.) Genograms-graphic
diagrams from a family from a minimum of three generations, 3.) Fusion-blurring of psychological
boundaries between self and others, 4.) Differentiation (opposite of fusion)-is the ability to control
reason over emotion.
Salvador Minuchin - Answers Leading name behind Structural Family Therapy. Uses Joining which is
blending with the family and mimesis (copying) to copy the family's communication patterns. It is
directive and performed in the here and now.
Jay Haley and Cloe Madanes - Answers Strategic Family Therapy (also known as MRI and The
Communications Model) that uses paradox or prescribing the symptom. Reframing and relabeling
problems is common and this modality reminds us that double-bind communication (physical abuse but
claims love) can cause serious psychopathology.
Other Brief Strategic Family/Individual Therapists that Use Paradox like Haley and Madanes - Answers
Milton Erickson, Steven DeShazer, Bill O'Hanlon, Paul Watzalick, Don Jackson, and Michelle Weiner Davis
Solution-Focused Brief Therapists - Answers Speak of first order change which is superficial and second
order change that includes actual changes in the structure of the organization.
Crisis Intervention - Answers Is used for people that are experiencing NORMAL reaction to stress
whereas therapy is aimed at reducing abnormal and pathological behaviors and symptoms.
The Milan Model - Answers uses a treatment team with a one-way mirror.
Consultation - Answers Occurs when you voluntarily assist a counselor or counselors (known as
consultees) who will be helping counselors. Contact with the helpees is indirect.
Gerald Caplan - Answers Known as the Father of Mental Health Consultation.
, Edgar Schein - Answers came up with the purchase of expertise model (where you buy the person's
information and knowledge); his doctor-patient model (here you aren't sure what the problem is so you
hire an expert to diagnose and treat it); and his process consultation model (where the consultant helps
the consultee with the process).
Process Models - Answers Focus on the process while content models focus on imparting knowledge to
the consultee.
Functional Family Therapy - Answers A community-based intervention for juvenile offenders. It is
provided weekly by a single therapist, over an average period of three months. It is family-focused, and
is often delivered in the home.
In General Strategic Family Therapists focus on several dimensions. - Answers Family Rules
Family Homeostasis
Quid Pro quo
Redundancy Principle
Punctuation
Symmetrical Relationships anc Complementary Relationships
Circular Causality
Family Rules Definition in Strategic Family Therapy - Answers the overt and covert rules families use to
govern themselves such as, "you must speak only when spoken to,"
Family Homeostasis in Strategic Family Therapy - Answers the tendency of a family to remain in its same
pattern of functioning unless challenged to do otherwise. For example, getting up and going to bed at
the same time.
quid pro quo (Strategic family therapy) - Answers tendency for people to treat others how they are
treated
redundancy principle (Strategic family therapy) - Answers people tend to treat each other the same way,
and it is unusual for those patterns of behavior to change or expand
punctuation (Strategic family therapy) - Answers refers to the conviction by individuals that their verbal
communication, especially during conflict, occurs in reaction to someone else. There is no cause-and-
effect relationship
Symmetrical Relationships in Strategic Family Therapy - Answers the fact that relationships within a
family are both among equals.
Nathan Ackerman - Answers Theory of psychodynamic family counseling
Virginia Satir - Answers Experiential conjoint family therapist that popularized the notion that, in times
of stress, that family members use four inept patterns of communication; 1.) The Placator, 2.) The
Blamer, 3.) Reasonable analyzer who intellectualizes, 4.) Irrelevant distractor
Carl Whitaker - Answers is sometimes called the dean of experiential symbolic family therapy, wrote
"The Family Crucible" and known to be wild, crazy and use a co-therapist.
Murray Bowen - Answers created the genogram,
developed the Extended family systems theory and is a key name in Intergenerational Family Therapy
which uses posits uses these key terms 1.) Triangulation, 2.) Genogram, 3.) Fusion, 4.) Differientiation.
Murray Bowen's Key Terms and Their Meaning - Answers 1.) Triangulation-occurs when two people are
stressed bring a third party in to reduce the stress and restore equilibrium, 2.) Genograms-graphic
diagrams from a family from a minimum of three generations, 3.) Fusion-blurring of psychological
boundaries between self and others, 4.) Differentiation (opposite of fusion)-is the ability to control
reason over emotion.
Salvador Minuchin - Answers Leading name behind Structural Family Therapy. Uses Joining which is
blending with the family and mimesis (copying) to copy the family's communication patterns. It is
directive and performed in the here and now.
Jay Haley and Cloe Madanes - Answers Strategic Family Therapy (also known as MRI and The
Communications Model) that uses paradox or prescribing the symptom. Reframing and relabeling
problems is common and this modality reminds us that double-bind communication (physical abuse but
claims love) can cause serious psychopathology.
Other Brief Strategic Family/Individual Therapists that Use Paradox like Haley and Madanes - Answers
Milton Erickson, Steven DeShazer, Bill O'Hanlon, Paul Watzalick, Don Jackson, and Michelle Weiner Davis
Solution-Focused Brief Therapists - Answers Speak of first order change which is superficial and second
order change that includes actual changes in the structure of the organization.
Crisis Intervention - Answers Is used for people that are experiencing NORMAL reaction to stress
whereas therapy is aimed at reducing abnormal and pathological behaviors and symptoms.
The Milan Model - Answers uses a treatment team with a one-way mirror.
Consultation - Answers Occurs when you voluntarily assist a counselor or counselors (known as
consultees) who will be helping counselors. Contact with the helpees is indirect.
Gerald Caplan - Answers Known as the Father of Mental Health Consultation.
, Edgar Schein - Answers came up with the purchase of expertise model (where you buy the person's
information and knowledge); his doctor-patient model (here you aren't sure what the problem is so you
hire an expert to diagnose and treat it); and his process consultation model (where the consultant helps
the consultee with the process).
Process Models - Answers Focus on the process while content models focus on imparting knowledge to
the consultee.
Functional Family Therapy - Answers A community-based intervention for juvenile offenders. It is
provided weekly by a single therapist, over an average period of three months. It is family-focused, and
is often delivered in the home.
In General Strategic Family Therapists focus on several dimensions. - Answers Family Rules
Family Homeostasis
Quid Pro quo
Redundancy Principle
Punctuation
Symmetrical Relationships anc Complementary Relationships
Circular Causality
Family Rules Definition in Strategic Family Therapy - Answers the overt and covert rules families use to
govern themselves such as, "you must speak only when spoken to,"
Family Homeostasis in Strategic Family Therapy - Answers the tendency of a family to remain in its same
pattern of functioning unless challenged to do otherwise. For example, getting up and going to bed at
the same time.
quid pro quo (Strategic family therapy) - Answers tendency for people to treat others how they are
treated
redundancy principle (Strategic family therapy) - Answers people tend to treat each other the same way,
and it is unusual for those patterns of behavior to change or expand
punctuation (Strategic family therapy) - Answers refers to the conviction by individuals that their verbal
communication, especially during conflict, occurs in reaction to someone else. There is no cause-and-
effect relationship
Symmetrical Relationships in Strategic Family Therapy - Answers the fact that relationships within a
family are both among equals.
