EP00 Topical Panel 18 - Homework Assignments - Alexander Lowen, MD; Miriam Polster, PhD; Paul Watzlawick, PhD; Jeffrey Zeig, PhD

Description:

Educational Objectives:

1. To compare and contrast clinical and philosphical perspectives of experts.

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

Outline:

Evolution of Psychotherapy and Introduction to Homework Assignments

• Bernhard Trenkle from Germany initiates the session on homework assignments, naming panelists Jeffrey Zeig, Paul Watzlawick, Miriam Polster, and Alexander Lowen

• A body-oriented therapist emphasizes the importance of caring for the body—especially the legs—for maintaining good health

• The concept of “homework” in bioenergetics is explained, encouraging patients to perform simple physical exercises to feel their bodies and reduce tension

Importance of Body Awareness and Exercises

• Breathing and body awareness are highlighted as crucial to health, with recommendations like dancing and swimming

• Personal experiences are shared regarding chronic neck tension and specific exercises used to alleviate it

• Emphasis is placed on truly feeling the body during exercises to avoid harm and enhance effectiveness

• Exercises from a co-authored book are referenced, with a call for proper therapeutic guidance to ensure the exercises are meaningful

Homework Assignments in Therapy

• Homework assignments are described as a way to extend therapy into clients’ real lives

• Examples include having a shy person make three phone calls a day, or using gradual exposure for phobias

• Following up on homework successes or failures is emphasized to inform ongoing therapeutic direction

• Celebrating client success is seen as a key motivator for taking on more difficult tasks

Behavior Prescriptions and Non-Congruent Assignments

• The idea of behavior prescriptions is introduced, such as Erickson’s letter-writing task for a man afraid to cross streets

• A client with rejection anxiety is assigned to practice getting rejected as a form of exposure

• Congruent and non-congruent assignments, including paradoxical interventions and symptom prescriptions, are explained

• Absurd or symbolic tasks are shared as ways to shift emotional meaning and disrupt dysfunctional thinking

Therapist's Role in Homework and Resistance

• Therapists are encouraged to assign themselves homework to model change and vulnerability

• A group discussion addresses therapist responsibility in handling resistance and maintaining therapeutic momentum

• Strategies for resistance include pulling back when necessary and empowering parents in family systems

• The importance of allowing patients to express hostility is noted as a path to releasing underlying pain

Homework for Specific Conditions and Social Network Involvement

• For bulimia, one example is assigning the patient to “salaam” the toilet and write “mother” and “father” on paper before purging

• For skeptical family members, small behavioral commitments are suggested to gradually shift attitudes

• Caution is advised against relying on diagnostic labels—each case requires tailored interventions

Couples Therapy and Behavior Prescriptions

• One suggestion for couples includes alternating decision-making days to lower conflict

• A case is shared where a woman’s fear of submersion was explored and addressed through specific physical exercises tied to intimacy

• Carl Whitaker’s view is mentioned: couples therapy is about becoming better therapists for one another

• The therapist’s role is to assign structured behavioral tasks that help disrupt entrenched patterns and foster emotional reconnection