EP13 Invited Keynote 03 - How to Produce Change - Salvador Minuchin, MD

Description:

Dr. Minuchin will show segments from a first session he conducted with a family, highlighting the concepts that underlie the techniques; the ways that he, as the therapist, assess his interventions; and the impact the family has on him.

Educational Objectives:

1. Describe the expanded concept of “the identified patient.”
2. Explain how the therapist challenges a family constructively.
3. Explain how silence can be used as a therapeutic instrument?

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

Outline:

Introduction of Salvador Minuchin

• Introduced as the “father of family therapy,” with major influence in Italy

• Praised for innovative techniques like moving chairs and instructing a child to buy shoes—strategies widely adopted

• Recognized for constant creativity and evolution within the field

• Core elements of his approach include structural reorganization and emotional impact

Minuchin's Teaching Experience

• Shares experience teaching bright but inexperienced students at NOVA University

• Developed a new pedagogical language centered on challenging certainties and shifting perspectives

• References his book The Craft of Family Therapy, focused on dismantling fixed assumptions

• Plans to illustrate his approach using two case study videos

Case Study: Second Marriage with Lying Adolescent

• Presents a case of a blended family with a teenage daughter who lies and a younger sibling

• Refuses to take responsibility for content; instead encourages open family dialogue

• Uses metaphoric language (e.g., calling father a “detective”) to reframe roles and challenge assumptions

• Ends with family members gaining clarity and beginning to act as mutual healers

Case Study: Anorectic Patient

• Shares session with a family dealing with an anorectic daughter, including background and family roles

• Video highlights therapist’s role in unsettling entrenched dynamics, especially the mother’s self-image as a “good mother”

• Uses physical and verbal positioning to create new relational structures

• Leads to a reorganization of family behavior and a shift in emotional dynamics

Reflecting on Therapy Techniques

• Reflects on how his views and teaching methods have evolved over time

• Continues to emphasize the therapist’s task of challenging certainties and reframing family interactions

• Defines the therapist's role as repositioning individuals within the system to stimulate change

• Concludes by stating he has taught all he knows, inviting the audience to carry forward the work