In this wide-ranging conversation, Watzlawick fields questions on depression, addiction, and the construction of self. He reflects on the limitations of diagnostic labels and explores how language and social context shape experience. From terminal illness to substance use, Watzlawick emphasizes the power of perception, the role of feedback in identity, and the therapeutic value of reframing reality.
This session introduces the core principles of MRI’s brief therapy model, focusing on how small, specific behavioral interventions can disrupt entrenched patterns and promote change. Drawing on videotaped case material, the presentation explores direct prescriptions, paradoxical strategies, and positive reframing. Through clinical examples—ranging from perfectionism to family conflict—the session shows how symptoms often serve as solutions to deeper issues, and how shifting perspective can open new paths forward.
