Systemic Psychotherapy / Family Therapy

What is Systemic Therapy / Family Therapy?

Systemic Psychotherapy involves examining the relationships and interactions that people have which are causing problems in their lives.  The therapist does not view the individual in isolation but rather in the context of their broad relational world including family, social and cultural contexts. The therapist aims to work collaboratively at all times seeing the person/family as holding the expertise with the therapist acting as a facilitator to help them to reconnect with submerged or forgotten resources.  The systemic psychotherapist seeks to hold a not-knowing/curious stance at all times to avoid making unhelpful assumptions or coming to conclusions about the challenges being faced by those in therapy.  The therapist deeply understands the complexity underlying most stuck problems. 

How does a Systemic Psychotherapist work?

Systemic Psychotherapists work with individuals, couples and families.  The therapy can vary in length but tends to be more short term.  The therapy is appropriate for a wide range of issues. This is because most problems that people bring to therapy have clear relational impacts.  The focus tends to be on how the problem is impacting on the person in the context of their broad relational context.  

The systemic therapist helps the person/people in therapy to become more aware of how their relationship patterns may be contributing to their problems. There is a recognition by the therapist at all times that they do not hold the capacity to change people or families but rather view their role as a facilitator of change seeking at all times to tune into the expertise of the person/family. Systemic therapists see themselves working in a very collaborative way with people seeking therapy.  They avoid pathologising language or descriptions seeking at all times to help people make sense of their challenges in the context of their experiences both past and present.  The therapist’s function is to help the person/family to the find the solution that works best for them.  The aim is to help the person/family improve their relationships and to increase the repertoire of skills that they bring to bear when interacting with others. 

Systemic Psychotherapist Emer Casey is available for appointments on Mondays at Evidence-Based Therapy Centre. You can read more about her background and experience here. If you would like to book an appointment, you can call the centre on 091 727777 or get in touch via the contact page.