CC05 Workshop 09 - Changing Belief Systems - Peggy Papp, ACSW

Description:

Therapists sometimes get stuck trying to change a couple's interactional patterns without understanding the underlying belief systems that maintain the patterns. By zeroing in on the core beliefs and expectations of each partner, the therapist is able to address multiple levels of experience and help the couple change pivotal aspects of their relationship in a short period of time. Conflicting beliefs around money, sex, power, gender, responsibility and intimacy will be examined within this therapeutic framework. Videotapes excerpts will demonstrate different ways of changing constraining beliefs to those that enrich the relationship.

Educational Objectives:

1. To describe two methods for uncovering the beliefs and expectations underlying destructive interactional patterns.
2. To describe two different ways of changing constraining beliefs to those that enhance the relationship.

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*

Outline:

Development of Couples Therapy Techniques

• Couples therapy was once taboo; pioneers like Don Jackson changed that.

• Early approaches included experiential, structural, Bowenian, Gestalt, narrative, and paradoxical.

• Emphasis on choosing a model that fits the therapist’s personality and values.

Understanding Belief Systems in Couples Therapy

• Partners operate through deeply held, often unconscious beliefs.

• Logical problem-solving usually fails due to entrenched belief patterns.

• Beliefs often stem from intergenerational themes and personal narratives.

Identifying and Exploring Beliefs

• Use deduction and metaphorical language to uncover hidden beliefs.

• Focus on themes most relevant to the presenting issue.

• Example: “Balancing the scales of justice” as a guiding belief in a couple's dynamics.

Practical Application of Belief Work

• Help couples link surface problems (e.g. finances, chores) to deeper beliefs.

• Assign self-observation tasks to bring beliefs into awareness.

• Use central themes to tie together conflict patterns and promote insight.

Case Study: Denise & Nick (Cross-Cultural Couple)

• Nick’s 4-year unemployment created stress; Denise considered leaving.

• Poem assignments helped both partners express unspoken feelings.

• Nick’s cultural belief: men should be supported; Denise’s: productivity equals worth.

• Theme: Nick as a “hero” helped shift identity and motivate change.

Balancing Cultural Expectations and Growth

• Cultural clashes around work and gender roles surfaced.

• Nick eventually took steps toward employment and self-expression.

• Denise feared regression; poetry helped open communication.

• Theme work helped frame conflict in terms of shared human needs.

Challenges in Communication & Differentiation

• Differentiation was linked to job status and emotional reactivity.

• Therapists emphasized staying present and managing anger constructively.

• Tools used: genograms, cultural analysis, and real-time interventions.

Use of Poetry, Symbols & Rituals

• Poems illuminated emotional realities and sparked empathy.

• Masks used to non-verbally express internal states and open dialogue.

• Objects (e.g., radios) served as powerful therapeutic metaphors.

Techniques & Therapist Role

• Clients encouraged to take the lead in change; therapists guided insight.

• Videotaping and audio recording sessions were recommended for clinical reflection.

• Therapists helped clients:

  • Challenge beliefs

  • Find exceptions

  • Activate strengths

  • Use rituals for change

Steps to Effective Therapy

• Explore the client’s understanding of their problem and desired future.

• Identify and challenge constraining beliefs.

• Use symbols, future questions, and strengths-based reframing.

Final Reflections

• Audience praised the ingenuity of the case interventions.

• Emphasis on themes, family history, and resource discovery was reaffirmed.