EP90 Workshop 32 - Therapy of Adolescence - Jay Haley, MA

Description:

This workshop will center on a family-oriented approach to adolescent problems. Strategic therapy methods will be illustrated and discussed.

Educational Objectives:

1. To describe adolescence as a stage of family life
2. To learn methods of empowering parents 

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

Outline:

Strategic Therapy for Adolescents: Key Concepts & Casework

• Therapy Focus

  • Emphasizes problem-solving over psychopathology.

  • Encourages viewing adolescent issues as human dilemmas.

  • Highlights influence of family dynamics and life cycle stages.

• Therapeutic Approach

  • Uses strategic, directive methods with real-life examples.

  • Advocates empowering parents and involving the whole family.

  • Introduces techniques like the Gandhi method to encourage parental authority.

• Notable Case Examples

  • Shaking hand: Resolved after addressing marital and parental tensions.

  • Bedwetting: Stopped with a simple behavior-reward system.

  • Adolescent acting out: Seen as stabilizing parents' relationship.

  • Psychotic break: Recovery supported by family involvement and returning to normal routines.

• Cultural & Social Dynamics

  • Stresses the importance of understanding cultural backgrounds.

  • Shows how family roles shift with immigration, career changes, and hierarchy imbalances.

• Power & Family Roles

  • Therapy works to balance power across family members.

  • Emphasizes helping passive parents become more decisive.

  • Avoids therapist-parent coalitions that exclude other family members.

• Relapse & Resolution

  • Describes typical crisis when children leave home.

  • Example of a teen attacking therapist and father, but later improving and graduating art school.

  • Shows long-term impact of setting clear parental boundaries.

• Closing Thoughts

  • Reinforces the role of therapists in strengthening family leadership.

  • Encourages practical application of these strategies in similar cases.