EP05 Dialogue 04 - Therapy with Families - Salvador Minuchin, MD; and Michael White, BASW

Description:

Educational Objectives:

1. Given a topic, to describe the differing approaches to psychotherapy, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses in each approach. 

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

Outline:

Salvador Minuchin's Introduction and Initial Impressions

• Brent Geary introduces the session and hands over to Minuchin

• Minuchin expresses admiration for Michael White, calling him a craftsman of language

• Praises White’s ability to help clients see themselves differently through therapy

Michael White's Response and Admiration for Minuchin

• White expresses deep respect for Minuchin’s work, noting its influence since 1973

• Highlights Minuchin’s acute listening skills and sensitivity to conversational cues

• Reflects on the political consciousness in Minuchin’s work and its personal relevance

Exploring the Craft of Therapy

• White discusses therapy's political dimensions and importance of broader context

• Expresses curiosity about Minuchin’s shift from analytic roots to relational openness

• Emphasizes therapy as apprenticeship—valuing practice and live supervision

• Credits Minuchin with fostering openness in family therapy

Minuchin's Philosophy and Approach to Therapy

• Emphasizes relationship and context as central to therapy

• Shares personal history: Argentine minority background, immigration to Israel, shift to family therapy

• Advocates for active, safe therapeutic spaces where people can locate themselves

• Discusses the “absent but implicit” in client expressions as a key therapeutic focus

The Role of Narrative and Relationship in Therapy

• White values minimizing therapist centrality and elevating client voice

• Shares a case with a young woman connecting to her grandmother through narrative

• Minuchin notes White’s strength in mapping and scaffolding client stories

The Influence of People Consulted

• Both reflect on how former clients continue to shape their work

• White speaks of ongoing relationships and the impact of consultations on therapist identity

• Minuchin highlights working within relational contexts—focusing outward toward family dynamics

The Role of Skills and Practice in Therapy

• White underscores the discipline of skill-building, likening it to musical improvisation

• Emphasizes that spontaneity in therapy is rooted in rigorous practice

• Minuchin agrees, emphasizing continuous sharpening of therapeutic tools

The Ongoing Development of Therapeutic Practice

• Both stress openness to new ideas and evolving approaches

• White recounts being encouraged to prioritize relational dynamics over narrative in a presentation

• Minuchin discusses the value of questioning certainty and being influenced by colleagues

• Curiosity and lifelong learning seen as essential to therapeutic excellence

The Role of Identity and Labels in Therapy

• Audience member asks about therapists’ identity and self-positioning

• Minuchin speaks to openness and evolving identity shaped by peers

• White stresses practice and values, balanced with openness to fresh perspectives

• Both affirm the importance of staying true to core principles while growing

Final Reflections and Acknowledgments

• White and Minuchin close with appreciation for the dialogue and mutual learning

• Emphasize central themes: relationship, narrative, and skill development