Model Matrix

CBT

Psychoanalytic

Bowen

Structural

Strategic

Experiential

Solution-focused

Narrative

Feminist

Key Figures

Ivan Pavlov, Watson, Thorndike, B.F. Skinner, and Bandura

Sigmund Freud, Dr. Josef Breuer, Karl Abraham, and Sandor Ferenczi 

Dr. Murray Bowen ,

Key Techniques

Downward Arrow, ABCs, match thoughts to feelings, replace unhelpful thoughts with useful thoughts, replace negative self-talk, and explore alternate schemas

Free association where clients talk about what comes to mind, therapeutic transference analysis, and interpretative intervention

Questioning of family members and construction of a family genogram

How do problems arise and persist?

Recurring faulty cognitions result in problematic response patterns

Problems are caused by latent disturbances. Disturbances emanate from unresolved issues during an individual’s development or repressed trauma. Problems are rooted in the unconscious mind.

Due to multigenerational transmission; each generation moves to a lesser level of differentiation resulting in a downward spiral until unresolved emotional cutoffs and attachments are successfully resolved .

Therapy Objectives

To modify specific patterns of thinking / behaviors and to alleviate the presenting symptoms

To bring repressed conflicts to consciousness where they can be dealt with.

To change faulty patterns in which family members have been interacting via self-motivated self-differentiation

How does change occur?

Changed beliefs lead to changed behaviors

Change occurs when contingencies of reinforcement are altered

A therapist helps a client to bring underlying conflicts to the point of gaining insight and understanding that enables the person to resolve the problem

Change occurs when a client gets insight regarding his/her problems. This is when self-differentiation occurs. An individual client is able to separate his/her emotional and intellectual functioning while still maintaining autonomy from emotional issues of others enabling the individual to function based on reasoned principles.

Therapist Role

Ask questions to challenge assumptions rather than directly challenging

Teach family that emotional problems are caused by unrealistic beliefs

Therapist should exercise technical neutrality (distant, uninvolved attitude). A therapist should not take sides in a client’s activated internal conflicts (the therapist should remain equidistant).

The therapist is supposed to be neutral; his/he role is to encourage family members to communicate through him/her rather than among themselves. The therapist is a coach who teaches family members differentiation moves. The therapist is also an educator who teaches families about dynamics of family systems .