{"id":119224,"date":"2020-05-28T11:00:51","date_gmt":"2020-05-28T10:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=119224"},"modified":"2023-03-08T10:42:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T10:42:55","slug":"what-is-systemic-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/what-is-systemic-therapy.htm","title":{"rendered":"What is Systemic Therapy? And Can it Help You?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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photo by Dimitri Houtteman<\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

Many talk therapies help by looking at your past experiences,<\/a> and how you personally think and feel<\/a>. But systemic therapy takes a very different approach to helping your feel better about yourself and your life. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is systemic therapy? <\/span><\/h2>\n

Systemic psychotherapy believes we are interconnected to those around us. So any problems we face<\/strong> are shared, and from a flaw within the system, or systems, we live in. This might be our families<\/a>, communities, and social and work groups<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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These systems can get stuck in unhelpful patterns<\/a>, created by the roles they make us play, the beliefs<\/a> they are based on, and the ways of organising and communicating<\/a> they rely on. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So systemic therapy is a talk therapy for individuals, couples, families, groups and organisations that<\/strong> helps them-<\/span><\/p>\n

“mobilise the strengths of their relationships so as to make disturbing symptoms unnecessary or less problematic.” (Peter Stratton<\/a>, professor of family therapy at Leeds University).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Is systemic therapy a short or long term therapy? <\/span><\/h2>\n

It depends what you and your systemic therapist decide would be best for your particular needs.<\/strong> It could be several sessions, or as little as one or two. <\/span><\/p>\n

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photo by Mindy Jacobs<\/p><\/div>\n

And unlike other forms of therapy that<\/strong> involve meeting at least weekly (or more than once a week in the case of Jungian therapy<\/a> or psychoanalysis<\/a>)? Systemic therapy can be biweekly, or even once every four weeks. <\/span><\/p>\n

How is systemic psychotherapy different than other forms of therapy? <\/span><\/h2>\n

1. It looks to group over individual experiences. <\/span><\/h3>\n

We don\u2019t function alone in life.<\/strong>\u00a0If we are having problems, they can be fixed by looking at the dynamics of the groups we are in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Systemic therapy helps you reframe issues from intrapersonal terms (“my teenage daughter is selfish”) to interactional or ‘relational’ terms (“we have a pattern of communicating that means she backs down to do her own thing and I feel unheard”).\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. It works with present day patterns over past experiences. <\/span><\/h3>\n

Other psychotherapeutic approaches<\/a> feel that difficult past experiences become \u2018roots\u2019 that lead to our present-day problems. For example, psychodynamic psychotherapy<\/a> sees you talking about your past each session.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Systemic therapy doesn\u2019t try to<\/strong> find the cause in the past. Instead, it looks to the groups we operate within and believes a pattern of dysfunctional behaviours and beliefs<\/a> cause our issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. It doesn\u2019t see you as \u2018flawed\u2019 or needing a \u2018diagnosis\u2019. <\/span><\/h3>\n

This places the blame on the individual. Systemic therapy would suggest you are a resourceful<\/a>, powerful person. You are just unfortunately operating in a family or group that has unhelpful patterns. <\/span><\/p>\n

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It doesn\u2019t blame<\/a> any individual in a group, but sees the operating system of the group as the problem. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

4. It is circular over linear. <\/span><\/h3>\n

Most types of therapy are linear. They believe in cause and effect over time.<\/strong> So what happened in the past created a result in the present. You have an eating disorder because you felt overlooked growing up. <\/span><\/p>\n

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By: Nils Peters<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Systemic therapy is circular. It sees things as repeating patterns and processes.<\/strong> You have an eating disorder because every time you talk to your parents, you feel you aren\u2019t asked your opinion. So you feel driven to take control by limiting food instead. <\/span><\/p>\n

5. It\u2019s practical over analytical. <\/span><\/h3>\n

Many types of therapy seek to <\/strong>understand.<\/strong> <\/i>Why are you are who you are, and what causes you to do things? It\u2019s analytical<\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Systemic therapy seeks to troubleshoot and solve<\/i>.<\/strong> What is causing the group to be stuck? What nudge could create new movement in the ways you relate\u00a0 <\/span>and communicate? It\u2019s practical. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

What sort of issues can systemic therapy help with?
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The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)<\/a> recommends systemic therapy for:<\/span><\/p>\n