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EP95 Dialogue 01 - Working With Dysfunctional Hierarchies - Cloe Madanes, Lic. Psych.; Paul Watzlawick, PhD


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Topic Areas:
Dialogues |  Psychotherapy |  Abuse |  Family Systems |  Parenting |  Strategic Therapy
Categories:
Evolution of Psychotherapy |  Evolution of Psychotherapy 1995 |  Pioneers in Couples and Family Therapy
Faculty:
Cloe Madanes, HDL, LIC |  Paul Watzlawick, PhD
Course Levels:
Master Degree or Higher in Health-Related Field
Duration:
56:01
Format:
Audio Only
Original Program Date:
Dec 15, 1995
License:
Never Expires.



Description

Description:

Educational Objectives:

  1. Given a topic, to become aware of 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:

Evolution of Family Hierarchies

  • Cloe Madanes reflects on her shift from traditional hierarchical models to viewing families as interconnected systems.

  • Initially emphasized parental authority ("Strategic Family Therapy").

  • Found this model inadequate when parents were incompetent, neglectful, or addicted.

Strategies for Reversing Hierarchy

  • Introduced “reversing the hierarchy”: children take responsibility for parents' happiness to motivate parental change.

  • Example: a mother paid not to hit her son eventually improved her life and left her abusive partner.

Addressing Marital Abuse

  • Strategy for abusive husbands: create a contract where he deposits money into a joint account with his mother-in-law.

  • If abuse occurs, funds transfer to the mother-in-law—creating financial accountability.

  • Emphasized adapting Ericksonian techniques with legal awareness.

Applying Therapy to Larger Systems

  • Therapeutic strategies applied to businesses and institutions (e.g., space agencies).

  • Importance of adjusting strategies to changing environments.

  • Introduced “emergent quality”: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

  • Stress on understanding client language and perspectives in systems work.

Audience Q&A: Case Responses

  • Child with encopresis: Work with a trusted pediatrician and address potential family violence.

  • Dysfunctional supervision in training: Respect supervisee’s position; use their language and avoid criticism.

  • Group decision-making among religious leaders: Focus on goals; identify what worsens issues to guide change.

Elder Abuse

  • Adult children exploiting elderly parents: Encourage elders to reclaim control using their values and language.

  • Emphasized understanding elders’ perspectives and concerns to guide them in setting boundaries.

Adolescents and Conflicting Hierarchies

  • Teens on probation, expelled, and in gangs: Strengthen family structure and involve community elders.

  • Family seen as the central protective unit; external pressures addressed through family reinforcement.

Closing Remarks

  • Emphasis on adapting techniques to fit family and organizational contexts.

  • Key takeaway: flexibility and creativity are essential in resolving complex relational systems.

Credits



Faculty

Cloe Madanes, HDL, LIC's Profile

Cloe Madanes, HDL, LIC Related Seminars and Products


Cloé Madanes, HDL, LIC, is a world-renowned innovator and teacher of family and strategic therapy and one of the originators of the strategic approach to family therapy. She has authored seven books that are classics in the field: Strategic Family Therapy; Behind the One-Way Mirror; Sex, Love and Violence; The Violence of Men; The Secret Meaning of Money; The Therapist as Humanist, Social Activist and Systemic Thinker; and Relationship Breakthrough. She has presented her work at professional conferences all over the world and has given keynote addresses for The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference, the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy; the National Association of Social Workers, The Erickson Foundation, the California Psychological Association and many other national and international conferences. Madanes has won several awards for distinguished contribution to psychology and has counseled outstanding individuals from all walks of life.


Paul Watzlawick, PhD's Profile

Paul Watzlawick, PhD Related Seminars and Products


Paul Watzlawick, received his Ph.D. from the University of Venice in 1949. He has an Analyst's Diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute for Analytic Psychology in Zurich. Watzlawick has practiced psychotherapy for more than 30 years. He was research associate and principal investigator at the Mental Research Institute. He was Clinical Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center. Watzlawick is a noted family therapist; he is recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Family Therapy Association. Also, he is author, co-author or editor of eight books on the topics of interactional psychotherapy, human communication and constructivist philosophy.

He formulated five axioms. They are:

  1. It is not possible to not communicate. Every behavior is some kind of non-verbal communication.
  2. Every communication has a content. In addition, there is 'metainformation', which says how the communicator wants to be understood.
  3. All partners involved in a communication process also interpret their own behaviour during communication.
  4. Human communication involves both verbal and non-verbal communication. In addition to the spoken words, there are is also a non-spoken part (gestures, behavior, intonation..) which is part of the communication.
  5. Communication between humans is either symmetric or complementary. This is based on whether the relationship of those communicating is based on differences or parity.


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