EP85 Conversation Hour 02 - Jay Haley, M.A. & Cloe Madanes

Description:

Educational Objectives:

1. To learn philosophies to various practitioners and theorists.

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

Outline:

• Event Overview

  • Jay Haley and Chloe Madanes host a conversation at the Evolution of Psychotherapy conference.

  • They co-direct a family therapy institute with a clinic and training program.

  • Emphasize designing therapy for each case and including the whole family when possible.

• Living and Working Together

  • Discuss the joys and challenges of working as a couple.

  • Storytelling is a key skill in therapy; trainees are encouraged to use relevant stories in sessions.

• "Prescribing the Metaphor" Strategy

  • Clients create metaphorical stories that contain the solutions to their problems.

  • Example: An older couple resolved marital issues by writing essays that reflected their dynamics.

• Process-Oriented vs. Problem-Centered Therapy

  • Therapy can focus on curing symptoms or supporting personal growth.

  • Understanding the function of a symptom helps tailor interventions more effectively.

• Medication in Therapy

  • Critical of over-reliance on medication and its long-term effects.

  • Prefer non-drug interventions and honor clients' decisions about medication.

  • Emphasize apologizing when therapeutic strategies fall short.

• Working with Illness and Psychiatry

  • Therapy helps families cope with chronic and terminal illnesses.

  • Psychiatric clients without family support present unique challenges.

  • Recommends reorganizing family roles to support recovery when possible.

• Training Therapists

  • Teaching involves guiding trainees to select appropriate techniques based on problem type.

  • Directive therapy favored; discourages emotional catharsis and deep interpretation.

  • Emphasizes consistency and practical guidance.

• Schizophrenia and Family Involvement

  • Seen as a behavioral issue rather than strictly medical.

  • Strong support for involving parents in taking responsibility for the client.

  • Criticize lack of consensus in the field and overly medicalized approaches.

• Grief and Forgiveness

  • Focus on constructive actions and adjusting expectations, rather than resolving old wounds.

  • Use compromise and acceptance to reduce emotional burdens.

• Trauma and Amnesia

  • Discuss therapeutic uses of amnesia via hypnosis or recall fatigue.

  • Focus on the present function of traumatic memories.

  • Introduce “mitzvah therapy”—anonymous good deeds to resolve guilt.

• Teaching vs. Structural Change

  • Some clients improve more through structural family changes than through education.

  • Organizational shifts can lead to better parenting without formal instruction.

• Core Therapy Principles

  • Distinguish therapy from everyday life by targeting real behavior change.

  • Key values: optimism, humor, respect, and belief in clients’ capacity to protect and support one another.