Fo rth Edition

FamtlyTherapy
A Systemic
lntegration

Dorothy Stroh BecvatrPh.D.

Raphael J. Becvar,Ph.D.

"."j'J"-
#ffi?
* W*
.,?,f"i".

AllF ,nd Bacon

86tafl . bndon. Totunto' Sldhey. Tafuo. sing'p@
 n.Mrk
ch,pkr ,t I PjstnaAmrn d Frfr4Th{aN
Part1 fhzc!,!LnL I

the ceation of evd more eignificmt technologi.dl aclvaces. CoNistent {ith rhjs ha_
P osfinodemisrnin Histoical Pe$Pectiae ditioo the ole oI tt€rapist Md uial scidtGt b€came tnat oi the social enginer
Th€ most ecent peopdtile, rcfened to as poshnodemism, js mdeminins
rJe-e-n I oq., hJi cdrpBuzed tn, IJlp c'Bl''enlh dd nineieen}l (pndn+ d, UF the modehnt belief in the possibiliry ofobjecule bowtedse d{t absolute hlri
per;d rha \"h Jle fl;^, m8 o{ t"tubn'm r PeGDRrtc thd td\c cenEal
on mdy fronls. Chalengrng dris bclefis tr\enotion that oui "realio.-'"is inelitnbty
it"*' ." so uoed for.es that d"eu dep within the PeFon, rorcs that
"eo. (P 19). rn rcmdtjosm the I orld of subje.tive and tha r rve do inded dlvell in a muhiv.6. that is coffrrfted Lbougir
sive liJe dd ielariotuhips rhen sigtficdce" tt€ acr ol obscn.rion Facts aie being eptaced by perspecfives,rrith thts shiit
ieason md obseration was rePla.ed by '1he s orld of the deeplnteia. t.\i8 tt comesa challdge to the power md privilegeprevousl], atrributed ro th€ possess-
neath the vener of coNcious re6on" (P.20) The ldguage ot Passron, PurPGe,
06 oi "knowledge.' Hence the issues of hie.archv md power that chara.terize
depth, dd peFonal signifi.d.e I'as u*d to speak of heroism, 8enis, isPnation,
jn life ch.racterized much ol fte d€brie retarding €thi.al th€rapisrbelravior that is, if w. .e ro t,e
and love. Moral values and a sdse of ultimate PurPo* '
of PePle and then .onsistent wirh the flndnmer\lal assurprions of rhe poshnodem wortd view, cti,
wo.id vie{ thar continues todav to iniuence our des.iPtiod
ents mLst bc ude^tood as possessingeqlally vllid peEpecrives/r/e must be
.ome anare thrt there is no "t.mscendeft .nterion oi the cotrccf' (Gerge., 1991,
Towdd the end oi tLe nineleenth cdtun and the beAiming of the twentiedr
rLa5 p. 111) And hence arso the dis.omfort of those grounded ii the modemisr
cdtury ihe roMticist Perspdiive was uPstaged by that of modemGm Tlis diFm, shich assume5"thnrl<nowl€dge cm be lounded upoo or grcundcd in ab-
fara-
a mor; praciicat view, in which ttuth s'as to be sought through 'lvst€mati. ob*r
iolute |ruth . . . , is 'abo!t' sodethng extemal to th. knolle|, and can p.es€ntjtselJ
vation and rigorous reaeninE" (Cergen, 1991, P 29) Continuols Prcgress toward
objecrilelr ro ihe lnowcr" (Loi'e, 1991,t. 13).Perhapsrhe mosr sig.ifi.ant aspe.i
o z--.r e eoi, J r "' . a Ur ' c , Pnn i t r e d l - }" r a n r r w e d r l - . r " r / u r r ''r '' o i
ende oh of this shiii ftom a beliel in facB to an awarencssof peBpecrives is the deSrcet{)
ro ii"o . o- ic tr t e, e, ' . t . , Ll' e$* r hal. t r F d d 'b l e e . 'd , P P " m " r 's which our att€ntion is nos locused on d is.ourse md rhe rolc of language. B.ture
of a1l iinds. lt was also duing this P€dod rhat the bachine metaPhor was invoked looling mo.e .los€lv at the issue of language,however, sc wLsh to takc note of
and humm beiavior was dddsrood to be detemined by envtom€ntal condi
t'ro importat distincrions lvithin postmodemism-co.shrcfivisim,nd socjal
tioN.Iurther, th€ indePendent, autonomols indilidual *'.s valued s Lheideal of
constnctionism.
mdtrn
Although ihere are still those who long lor the "good old d.-vs" of Dllmn_
cism, the€ n also mu.h to be said for the nerter eorld of modemism Accordin8
Co structiaism and Social Constntctionishl
to Geryen (1991, P. .!7),
The .,rsffldtrist perspe.tive is based on the assuinption that in rhe prdess of per
Monlt lament th! lo* Df the rctunticist laryuages af th! pnson HouaPr, it b
nan! Mys nod ceiving and des.nbing m €xpe.ience, whethei to oudelves or ro orhes, w€ .on-
tlassibleta rpprecidl. the aLhre of the ftodmist rcPbcmdt In slnci not onlt, ou PeBonal larowledge base .tiout realitv but our renllll itself. Our
emisn is both nae aptimistic and ture dnocruln TlE tutuntic intlirilhal tus
discementof the wav dings are is thus a iucnon of ourbeli.ts lrom this peF
tutdrtt d 4 t.t.-tt - hp, rrl *'a " qrrot i. aal au ol @ \' TtL +odr"' t'PU
spedive, lve cmot obsen e o. knorv th€ tiuth about people (or other plrcnomena
rv;oqra i t. kmoab p- n' 4 thPh?tc 4d nod lr't Jtg\tlu bta('\"tr
in the $ odd) in anv objectiv. $ a!. Rather, it is ass med ihat all w€ cm know arc
f;.e of his actions.He i5 not Liklv ra be nansrntted by etdden insPitotion be ou cotubu.lions oipNple and other world phmomenn. Ac.ordin8 to radi.dlcor-
smitkn b! tatu geat Passian,Dl gr?eua! to d tush oJsurl'1'l utt s Rttha, he
Hk @rd to.la! is gootl lonortua and the n.tl Th. sfr!.in.trn (von Glaersltld, 1988)our foos is
* diable and t AlDtth!.
nodcmist setl G nat like\ tb ht:te his reasofldorded W nttdtse .nahonnl dra
an han ndpirludl; ca|aiti.)ns,ts n ttu phrnomea thtt ,E lttu.tarull!/ d.ter
mds:his tnens pidehis actions n11dhis tute is.lerr and havst Andt@ nusl
mined by the nenoas sysfum,,t .ontinurlsl! pt.a[hg (btu assinitatianand
nat tuait the dttiul af samendtsdlty |fied, iflslitd, ot iflsi9htfut tu to tead
a..onno.lnran) ,)ar'sndnptutiaisaith theenrn.nn.nt Althau! rckntukdt
au natiofl ar ott nstitrtions. Eteryone is c.eotedequl, anA it it rP tD us ds plr-
in3 the rnpartane al othds.. |ntt thei,npo dre of ttnSuge,... radi.al.onttu.
ents d *aad citi2ent ro nald the launS viith ProPq nol'lins and the helP oJ
tttists netnphori. basic unit is the n d as an ewltiflS, addptin! trrytnxn
stince. tue crcate the futurc ot'our Trums
(Gate& LonE,1996,p. 13)
ln the mode.n era 1'e fiu leamed to Ely on ihe Power of scien e and th€ kEwl€dge
In iadic.l constru.hvism, lhen/it is unde6t@dthatlnowl€dgeisactivelycon
of objecnve eye.ts, who suPPosedly P6eas the Inrih 3b.ut a malin" ttEt G out
there d.l thatim be represented accuately dd undestmd !; reliable t€arch strucl€d bv the indivlduals who m doing the knowing t\hile a real reality some-
b here out thcc may exist, L\e possibilitv o{ r '1ruc" .eptusentation of that rcality
{tata. lurther, &e trsted r,\at Re $ere Ptug€$ing to$'ad a gtatcr gqrd thrcu8h
L],
i, Derida, ryho opposes "the p.eswption
chapter4 / PastuoAmlsnaadFrft y Thraw

thai words reflecr dre wortings of ihe

;ffiix:
Ji;#'
,'l"lir*#**:**'l*$,'*
mind as it .onverts the smomding chaos inro logical ordcr" (cer6en, 1991,
p. 104 Ratner we de u6ed to coruider that iJ we cm tnow reality only via our
per.eptioro, then tlut which we p€reive is a fuction of ou menral process$? or
l mind, md ihus ihe two are insepdable. Thereiore, rarher thd thinking ot mind as

*t1i,;,g5g,+i5"f5g$
3omethinE bounded by rhe skin of the individul,

il::Hffi
*tjiflf
we accept the concept of a non-
loca1 mind th.t is univ€Nal dd empowering of atl creatues md things Further,
rve expL'lien e dd e\pie$ ou rnowing ttuough a system of langlage rhat has a
*pa(ate e/jstoce. Accodin6ir', "Social .onsbuctionist inquiry is piincipally.on,
cemed with eylicafing the pr@esses by which people come to dcs.ibe, exptain,

f*:*r:,'[Sti*tt*l'i.*'.$:i;fl:"]il*;
rd'd
or oth€trjse a.cout ror the wodd (in luding themselve, in whtch they live,,
(Cerge, 1985,p. 266).
Each of us G bom inio and a$imilates preexisringforms of ldguage in a cut-

:::{"T#,,#;*:#rl;*,i Hr' ^"'"-'iru'b'N''

p,l,qift"H
tdallv cated linguistic system. ln the process of socialization we lem to spe:k
in accepted wavs and simultdeouly to adop he shared ralues md idelogy of

lii*-l;:*llr#+d*I#*::,ffi
r.,fr ..**",i"i".
*t"
*a t*ial coNrnctionism
.*-o* 1odEosrruction
have difietni dphlrs'
dd the ole ol lsBuge
both Per-
ou ldSuaSe system Thus, ou wordi er?ress th. cotuentioro, the rymbols, rne
metaphoF oI ou. particular g.oup. And we cannot speak in a language separare
from thar of ou cormuity:

The tmns ii tuhi.h tlE uond is unde61aot1at socidLrrtifa.ts, ptoduets afhiitor

""*it"t -""n
ic.ll1t situoted interchang9 d,nong teo .. t:fDn the .atstructioflist ,,ritian the
ptue* ol undtstaading is nat autanrtieally drien W th. Jorcd ol nhture, bll
Deconstructionand the RoIe of LanYaSe is th. resalt al dn a.ti"4 caapetatiu dt.rytin ol p{sors ifl reldtionship In this
Light,iiquiry js i@ited iflto the hisbnd atul dtltndt brvs ol utiaus Jotmsof

H:*l"T H:"J*:x!,rru:ii'lY";
:fl r"Ttr"ffi'*iifl'ff irot1,1caastn|tian- lcngd, 1985,p 2tr7)

*il l* *im tJf's'J#"ifl ffT*Ti,ix;l:il;t'3-I" lor the postmodenist, then, the Eoat is to deconsttud "facts" by deli.cating rhe
dsumphons, lalus, md id€olo8ies on which they lestmd to consid..ourselves

;+j*glitr;:'i"#.#r;":rT4;ffi:;;H*:ffi
e*e", t. .p a o, "pplt tcdAo la4b r-Rort! (1
and our consbuctionsabout life md livinSwith skepti.ism and €ven p..lDps hu
mor As tht postue is hffilated into iher.p], a "healthy irererencc lorJllt.ach
ers ed teachings" is advdated (Keene), 1990,p.5) along with r.sFect r(r tho
"
ffi :iiiil
lvl;;*r':r:*::"".:.1-.u,::y'ff#;:*Tff uniqudess 01&€ dient. lor eidmple,

In ott sno| tuo d al thdaptt, it is the iftenent tlxrapst's iab ta u d.ttLit.

f ',.*ltlttw''"'r*T:'HtiY'{hH:'*
..j:."-i :j:T#]-l;ff 'j
:1""";.'l
tlase aspectsoI the .lierh' realitlt that dte lesttittini them lralh ndkht th.
chtnges the.!ie rne The n re../ent the tdpist is sktyt i..l tollanl polarit n s, thdtb!

: I'l::T;
i';:"",;x';;'^^"i if.tdihg hrnllJh{tt lio't bolh tht tossi!. p}iti,nt af. I nlurt n.t lo dtd
inrrorr.. d, ,.1&rbdlr ldz.f.dtl..r",{r,",nJ rr, 5tfunt(k lNtn l, "l rt
- ',;11 ,"
,i1.,.. ,",,..r,,.$, ,,,,,,\
1';;,,,i.:;:,1,.1'.'1' ,it r...rr, !f r,rrr, rrr. " Wit h n n\ t n rt I trt tl Ln I tt | | t r\1 rr:t M LLn
r"! Ii \ri { r ,r r Jd \,,r ,r L tl l i r r v r ,,/,.i \' th n t t\ r f|,l r r t L l j 'l l '\t i t l a ti l t, L n t, tr
. , , ' ,' ' ,, f ,, { 1"r"r ' 'r
-, "' "" ""1r"" r{ /,
' 'l i i r' rl 'l i
IIi ri rtr'"'1r'rl ' r'
' "l r "- 1 r "ll " '
'' Ih r t,sr r r r ,r .i \l m u st.!L \( ft\.g
i n i 1 r r h .r r r h cscti sn o td i so l a te d ,a u l o n c
; i' , , ,,r , ,,,,,' ,.,r, ' ,,,tr,' 1' r" r" ' i ' | r' r' rr' r\!r' r" r" i rrtrtrF$rri hrr" ' rr
' ;' i , , r nhu5l,.i.{ but th.. rs eonstnrrr.d nr R,l.rln)nship:"ln rhe poshlodem wo.ld,
n u l l,v r l! | ,i! r ' tr 1 1 rI' L ' r n s.hfi nD! b..onxr th. nrJnLr.stnbonsot rul.rtn)nships, thus pl.rong elntionships in
r' ,' ,r," ' r" " " ' ' " " ' rt" l " " rl f' \i ' i " l 1\ l r' rrr' rrkt!rn
i. r" * " ,,,,r" ,u ,," ,
 Craptd4 / Paslhodrnant,tul I ruilr'rh.tt'v
P'n 1 / Tht Slsttui. Ftt@*

the mhal Do.rbm o.dpied b' the hdividurl *U for the l'sl weral hudrd {1991)ha indi.at€d reiative to family theraPy,"Const.uctivist mod.Ls,with th.ir
laql,p I47) Whdt is I|1m, t R@lfutloN dphasis on differinS hdividual Pe.sPftivesol erliry, have ld ni nulelsofth!.
vedsof W6tem history" (Grgq apy that have uderscorcd the imPortdce of.onveruatbn, ot.o-.onstru.tion oI
'@th
or FaIw in MY obiRtir e s€w but .m oilv dajudhe fbo sthr d P6p<_
btc qterPrie t6ome rusP&_L No p;b|ehs md prcp6ed $lutio6, of resPNt for individull diftcren.es'(P 258)
d r ., rhm tle iradi tional iogi@l Poibvist ss
the Neve.thele$, we anticipate th.r this debate will conlin u. dbng w ith thosere8a.d-
loneer d we able ro think of the outonB of €nPiricar leafth 3 rcP@ting
the subjetivitv of tlE ,r:grher ard the ing not or y fi6t{rde! veFus second_o.dcrthoraPiesbutalso the fit ofPostmod-
"rci wodd"; nther, we mut c@idd
ttu I d moe or lN u* em ihinljng md cybem€ti.s
L lelihood thdr T*a(h my Ptr'due onl' Partial idge
fd (Irngim, 1990; Nemark & B€ets, 19%) This latter issue is a primary fru oI
jsue of the individual selt
Chaoter-1s. Ior the pl€gt, howevd, let s ehm to the
Thz Debates

With ttE shift by Ifuy theorjsts to d emPhdis on corotru.tionism and the cre-
The RoIe oJ the Indioidual arron of appMch6 more @Estdt wirh Posttrcdembt thinking have come ar8u-
da, "the individual is mois ab;t hierarhy, Power, dd the rcle of the theraPist as well 6 about
A.cording to Cir8en (191, P 251), in ihe P6tmod@ rqL-A Lle
'th€ wheihq the 6pouvlof aLher d fiFl orderod sndd.rderdPProdlh
vi€wed a;a pdtniPant in ntdtiPle elatioNhiPs, with Probl€m' onlv a Pob-
rerecion of Ue other. q debdte rsolveabout whethsPo'Lmodem rhirk-
len b<ase;f tte way it is .ostructed in cdtain of the Elatim " TlEt i5, both 'e(dd or iNtead rePresdts m anomll' outside
take shaPe ed ina fits witbin the c''b@etic pedigm
rhe "seu" dd rhe ?rcbletr" d individual fty be dPeridEng
this p@dign, dd rhus a nd ePisr@oloS/ A more recdt challsSe Iocuss on
.A" meaMg onli m the,onlell oi sPftifi( reldtiorohiPs sd d oYP'sed that may emerge from the dtirealist stmce of
the ;U-refe@tial inco$isttui6
rhroueh tIp L;quse ol tlP coDsual doruh within wluch tlltr rlihonshiPs
the posrmodennsl Although a reelurion of the* issues may not be fo.thcoming
rcurloeconteiruatird ndvidurrs dd pobt(s d d irPGibilitv (Minu'hr'
in the n@i tut@, we believe it is imPorialt for you to hea. some of the voi.s of
I o84), dtrhoush the ffi tiety of whiih we d aI a Pdn oftd su886B otho-
l th@ most overily 4gaged in th6e debates And we would caution you to be
wG4lwdtt6, iqz), tJlepby cFannB d doubl+bind sitution
s wel 6 the urder awac ihar frcn the systdi./rybem€ti. Pe$Pective, the psPments on qPPosing
W,Lhin p5\ clbto*y, this vi* ot the rell-h-€ldhoNhiP,
sid6 of the i$u6 make valid Points dd thai neither slde is necessdily ri8]tt or
nininp ol m;itio\dl-wNe, hs bs Prcteted sbonglv by SmiLh {loe4), who
wlue. Rnther,,ll partrcipdts h tne debate' ae offerind PFGPecf\es 01 "ome
se Girro s position c EpEdbng "fin de si€le hoPdsns" O aoo In F DebPe.ri\e
tlut 6ther tt6 sadiotin8 tlF *U, uen iompto isu.i. rurtl'er ir i" Pc.'ble Lhaieach 'uo.onjliffB
.po*, i.*"n ttcaa,l ,thdl,ter his belief
ruv Ue "true tor rhe .oealer/ Mi ter basedon Of rmewo+ ourotwhjthsl"eor
,tie posrod"misr stury. brmss wiut the Potenbal ro ffich Lhe*U thrcu8h a'-
'l
rod's rr'ot o.loo-teag. Ure "redlit' or rel,redcc" {P 415).lMthr familv lhn'
apv the po$ible lo$ of the individual tleu8h a elattonal ftrs hd long ben a
ciicem ind sentlv hc b@ addtsed bv Ni.hols (1984, s<hwartz 09e4), F i'st- O de I oer sus Second- O r der Therap!
md Ni(hols md -ost S.hwa; 0998). Ior erdPle, Nichols (1987, P- i) Mites:
Malins efecnce to vaFla's (Maturma& Varela,19E0)dirtinctionbetweenrhe
Th! ditferdce is tLet huf,an beinSsintetuct on ute b@isoJ.ottcio6 oad Lton' fiBt{rder alopoietic, conbol model and the *cond-oider, autoPoietic, autdomy
scia; emectotiofls of eadl otlEr- HoM inl6sible it tuy be to u"llz6tand mod€l of livin8 systems, Hotfnd (1985) notes the Prsalence of fmily the.aPy
pdpk uithoLt @nsidiinS then rebtinBhips, it is equdlly iflPsible to thd!' upprcaches coisiitent *lth the former model, aPPr@ches that e the subiect of
stafld thoseebnoflshiE if @ anlv think al ertnat beh@bt uithout m6i!la' C;ptes 7 rhrcugh 12 4d ChaPter t4 in this book. And Hoffmd Ptedicts a shift
inr intqbr rcalitis. At thz h@rt ol hutun eryaiene ir d cdtlat *t on "1," in the tuture to apProach6 that will be consistst w h the l.ttfr model dd ths
tu'lot'eels, think, ond act:+ uell B intdacts- witl have ihe loUorinS chara.terishcs:

thinLin& howwd, we mEt a.knowledSe 1. An obetuings@d" stane and indusioflolthe ttgoPistsotun Mte,t
To b€ cosistent wiih p6tmodmisi
2. A @lltbdan@ tuhd thdn a hi1athndL sttuclure.
with Watts {1972) the a.8@t that "ou mGt P.ivate thoughts ard dotic d
3. Geb flat mphtsiz selting a coftdt ht change,nat sPecifuinga chMge
not actullv our oM. Ior we thinl in tetu of languaAe ard ima86 which w€ did
4. Ways lo 8@d agoiBl t@ du.h ilslflMtdLit!
noi invotbut which were dvm b us by sdiety" (P. 64)- we w@ld also note tlEt
qtr pn rhp mportdce ol edcl" indr\ rdudl's Pe^ePnon trcm I P6rmodemisl Pcr 5. A !.ifli't" 6ssn4t of the Prcblm
5. A tun'p4@ati@, nofl'iudgndtal dtu (P 395)
;pective, the telf, thou8h ditferndy defined, Eai6 in si8nificm.e. O', 6 Stein8las

,A..ordin8 I(i llotnnrn, sr.({rl (d.. r''lrirk lt5 llirl rn m)r. .onstruchvist in
nilurc, slch as thoseoi Boscoloand Cc..hin, t*o metrbc6 oi rhe ori8inal Mild
team, $'ould emble the theraPist to unlDoN from the Posihon of Power md .on-
trol. However, Golm (r988a)aPonds that:
Despn. the god intentions of \uch leading theorists Lr Baseolo Cecchin, dnd
Holt'ntan,cansha.tirisn ad the obsmins svttm st'nce htte not yet led to a
sfist'ntitlly l6s inbrsbe at hidarchxat f',nly thdaP! Ptoctie Althorgh
thft nd! besan. positi,E eonvquici fran the ittoducttan olunstt tir6n
into t'a,ntly pndne thbry, Dn. tujar regatn! contqadre is the Pote itl
'nd at ob{Nre ttu intrcar.tbn aJr disintduau' at mis
uself tteary ta ntionli.!
guidet t'otn oJthrrapjst pDwtlessnessinto tncti.e. Poui ob{uEtl @dtutty
ehtgls4 thnaPntn uolJ.llti B. secantl'tu|et shreP.(1 56)
While in respotue acknowledgug the inevitabiljtv of iliuence, Hoftman (1988)
advocats a stdce that removescontrol as a.mtral issuein theraPy.n'i emove
the the.apist 6 d "exPerr sysrem."Shebeiievesthat raiher thanProriding skate
gies, inrerpretations, or suggestiors for behalioral chmge, the thdaPAt hs thc iob
ol.reatin8 a context lbi epistemolo8ical changc. She also notes tlut in talking
about second{rder therap)t she is not talking abolt second ord€i cybedeti.s: "BY
'rcmd-order' I am talking about cnanEesin the Pcmies that Eolem Pi€cs of be
havior ratlcr thm change in ihe behavios theNetves i don't think this }jnd of
chdge can eler be dnectly imPosed" (P.66).Colann's (1988b)rePtI reitemteshG
concd aljout'1he Potential misuse of costtuctivism to rationalize or to obs.:lN
instm.$ of disingenuous or Mive theraPist 'Posedessn6s"' (P 68) 14'enote that
"although .ertai.ll' valid, the fear th.t ii mal, be imPProPriately utlli4d is lPPli'
.ab1e to all theoies &d not specific to coNtructivism" (Btwar & Beoar, 1993,
P.5'1 )
Similarly, Atkison md Heath (1990a) srit€ that "dy existing family thcraPY
model cd be applied in a wav that is or is not cotu;tent with the imPtications of
second order cybernetics" (p.15.1). These authore b€lieve it to be apProPriate for
therapists to continue to draw uPon the more PraEmatic. tust-order hodels as
iong as thetr' do not become tm attached to clients' accePtmce of then sug86tiotu
rnd inteNcniioN. Thus, "willtul determination" to chdge mst be idd,sed bl,
therapists even as the.apists must address dimts' "willful det mination" to
Snon(1992) oiti.izes the debareoverfirst order ud secondorder theraPi.s,
whi.h he considcrsto hilebecn overemPhasrzedin tfe l,r. rure H. Pr.ln\es r
Lroth/Jnd, dialecn.rl prr'fe.h\. s hrtuh\ on. m,t h tr. ",r \..,nni otrnr nrrnd
$ t,il, d .ing hr s l- l r r t hdif v " I lr t . ( nr h' \ n t r i llrri
^ I l ,n l n ,.,r .l ,.r r i B n .,1 ,\l1 l ','{r )l h ,r l.|l ,.'1 1 r 'r 1tr r tl , /\n l l r r :o n r n n ( ;ttn i sh u n
ltrtrr t t r ! ' r t lt r t t t r r l dm lilr r r t r q \ - t n 'r l t
lrll r r lt ' , t nt r , t u\ t t t , t nr t r t t tt i l r t \ t , i
I\tn,!u t t r lr t , r nt r ' t nt ' t " t t t t t ' t t \ . u t r t t t 1 " ) 1 , 1 r ' r t ' t l t t . i . 't
"
t l t l t l l l r r t l r t l t n r j 'r
't t r t r t r ': | r t r t
Chaptr I /PashntAdnisna Fatntly lhnttr
'oill be bmBe lamily the pitts ha'e chosento speakthe Lotiluo:te rJ .ithi rt
nthd than the larsl$e ofbathard (P 386)
To speak in terns of either/o., as you now know? G inconsistst wirh the s)'s t.nr n /
gbem€tic p€rspective. funher, s'hile we as systemic "Puns$" fttd oP.nr hrg r! il li
a s{md-order mhd b be a morc resPecttul dd aPProPriate chor.e, lvc ni{ L],'inl
zant not orly of the fa.t that the Pragmatics of the fist ode. theraPi.s .nn ' I l, I t I
our practic€in a usefulaay, but also that w€, most ofou. cli€nts,dd ftnry rillr '
professionalsdwel in a fi6t oder world. If we e io bork meaningfrrLLl's 'rri"r
this b orld, at Lheverv least we mst ddeFtand it, and at best we cnn ft l.rn lrL,l
whi.h has rned s well in tlF Past. Similarly, we beUevea Postmod.nri:l rr r
sp{tn e is coGistmt with the world view oi cybemeticsof cvb€mcties nllh(\'lih
thn t@ hd bdome the subid oI mu.h debate.
PostmodernismLnd Clb emetics
Ind@d, th€ debate about fist{rder rheraPv vsrus second orde. thehly rls(' "r
cludes adih$ionof iheapProprialenessolthe.ybernetic PersPechlc is wf ,f
its iit with postmodemism md sdjal constructionism Asarticulated bv.\.(lrNrr
and Goolishid (190) in rheir esPonse to Atkjnson and Hea'h (1990i), "wf l)f
liele, as we thirk Bat6onlater did, th.t the languageot c-vbemeticsis not.rflrn)
pna€ or sufdcient todealaith th€ issuesofhumm syst€msand L\eraPiits'$1tr|
with them" (p.159).ltis the conclusion of Ande.son dd Goolishian thnt the tl)
tdizing issuesammd the ue oI Power, inicrention, ddchangeare imPLi.rt ur.'
cvbemen. epistemology,which rests on d assumPtion of m.chanicnl .ontrol
They prefer a "'p6t-cybemehc' interestin hman meding, n rrativc,.nd sntrv"
(p. 161)totuke uP for lYhat they Perceived the inability ofcybemeti.s tr) losto
udeEimding of hlmm in thei. cultural md tlational contexts or () d.s.rb.
rhem rlative to their ability to make meanin8 dd act accor.lngly:
Fq us,psy.hothd!,! n in d anxe$dtiDnrl dohaifl,and theart ol Psy.hoth@lttr
is d tmtnsati.tul art. The thdretidl bav tlat ntfarfls a d de.eLaPsthe u.rb'
lt'ry al und*stafldiry ht the Py shoutll Plkct this position Q,t thesisis th't
a.linimtiv lspoflsibt. and elIectiD. Pasitian rdn tutre Fn a s.iedt Dl fldthl
tiu antl *tuntics lp 161)
Atkinson and Herth (r990b) disigrce, notinA thnt a .vb€meti. cPisn mol()gy rc
q u n e i .w n d !ss.i l h . l i n l ,tski ...b r n tr g r \.n th r i n { vi t, i l r t\ I'l s{ l f r r n n r \r ',
n ctn o !vL d r .s l h . In kr n .tn x, i ,i i .l ..s n fi i r h . n l l n ,Jr r r l , r r s' r n ,i ,l t'Al!, n r r l
( h i l l .n ( .\ l r tr .tn L n( !r N tr n '\ ( t$ l r i
[. r r e \ th .,rl h r \!5 1 .n ,'L .vb r n ]t ttr tn r 'r l l l r l n h N t{r i tt.o u r r , i n d i cn t!! ( 1 9 9 ? )
',r f'r l r r r r i . n tr r n r u l u Jl l ! n r r l u r n ( '{t f( t sr h .th .e f co n su h r n t.n d i n q u i r cr "
tntt
lf L l t) n n d o tts 1 ( tr .n 'r th k r t fJr tr .r Pr tn {," ( P 2 2 )
 Cl"afld I / Pnstnloadnan Md FaftiU fhdnp'!
P'tt 1 / Ttt Slsttut Frnnwtk

with the Pe6Peciire of cybd- Howevd, th€R sem to 6 to be Prcblem oi aPPlication, Ior it one assumes con-
Ou bis G that the idea of control is mcotuistent sttrrciivism E d ontological PNition rathd than using ii as a clinical theory to d€-
:::::::rJ'a::':'H.Hi,f;fljj;-*::';:i::TT"il:'ff"':'
thc ePGteruro$ or Pdrii'rPdrid derne lery roir'!
qtancs
flibe what is SoinE on in an absolute Mr,
besta ston wh6. uliimate truth can neverbe known
one re.ognizs tlat any theory is at

; ;;,;;";; lvlore recentl), Ileld (1995,P 't) notes that "the explicit adoPtion of a fmd!-
'#x"rs:
ilh"ii.:.**l;n:[:*:i:l:';:;l.R','"ff hitrrLhe\vnc^'' qbembc Pdrc!8n Are
mental mtirealism" is a central defiMg feature of Postmode.nism. By this she r+

il1.:;J" ":G:ti '"6Edt ormmi ' ahon A n

. ^" - r F nr,' e b o th th e r@ ' o n c o rte \' d n dLhei mportatreof
*qui*s n erDro,adoror ddrvidurr PercePhons dd l lpNtnodedisnl reiectsSnerdl ]!tus afld t/tths, afld sa the ideo oJPtogt5s
;;;:';;;;;;,;,"'i the rd.gcr sir
* a cooi*,"o..r rit e orosv or rdb sd e l t n ta ) o t l L M l tn 'q d l p "Fa @l .o h te ttn l "r 1 ttu ttb 'b \i t'L .i a '
;;;;;"""
-*',f.- .f,'.r. .uti"tunjP' dreembedded D reldtioniriwe un tt.i rwe i. on ,*t,mi,o.\ o, a ptudl,ry al waa'ag ,n t
""t". r'd communication ''u'focb
varue and thai conmmicatim and (.) it pldloins the ddth" al the subiect/seflindio luaL thdt is, it tldies the
i;.JiJ ii"i l"r'.*-

ll'::ml:t
*
"r
;:;:"",::s;:,:i'l:?J,'"':::ii; I'i":a "Jill;ff',liJ'j subje.t s real dtobgnal status at existdce (P 10)

r ' ; J l; ;;:' ;.r; * ' ' .re n l a v o * o ' tc' urarerrl eedP hab ndv sraft'he Held thm dewibe *veral incoEistdcies that eoerye when me attemPrs to do
ot
*" o"-"",i"t i,f cyu"-.,i.s as a world view cosistent with that P6hrodem- therapl from st.h a stance. Inst, with re8dd to the attemPt to inditidualiTe Prac
""
j.J-""JJ such a s'orld \ie*" hoteler' is not without its tice, $-hicn from her Perslectile was a Pnmary notiMtion in Lhe shift to a Post
i*
-"'"*-"*sm
.har1""ge, ."peci"ly as an]oPt to traNlate it into dinical PEch'e modernni pspe.tive, sh€ asl<s: "How cm the u* oI Poshnodch theotv in
-e jndi'
psy.hothe6p) be d alrempt to solve the Problem of PrcserinS fte mique
n d u d l h o l e d l h th cr a p yr r e n r i f l ,h a ls"m e ftPo D ti {Fth l \e n o l r Pr o tl '"
SeIJ-Refen:nti at I nconsist:!:!e:!!! other Challeges I nd n 'd ;d l l ' r p l 7 ) . h "d d r h o n .:h e 'ta ,e - .|'a t r h PL '" o r th r l r n 'r d
: n r h c.- L
ical syst€m tuy, if jt is comPlete enou8i, dsure a hi8hly rul+govemed, or .on
osrbe diq@^e. stnined, md the€toe systemtic aPProach to the Pia.fice of theraPy" (P 104)
It I d. been 'dd tlut r ttp Po'hnodem Pia fieraPv Ptadi!6
do b dlturallv e\tabbshed roffi or
bol,h lo onSoing conver'dbon Fdher sh€ noter that Siven the disursive social conrext within which theraPists
'pn'iiive, a € U f l b o l l l r , f f e r u p o nthe@
f t er apiJ ' Lhb hx u' n work dd clients live, dd the imPa.t of ihis conte* on all, no Pra.ti.e can be truly
'.caliru rtoi". s l,
i;";" de sodr is d morc hdrp rnd a moe qcidrv Md PG mique or individualized. A^d firElly, she Poses the lollos'ing question:
";i;;,"";;;,i.
r'.i.rtii oa"-o.din8of l'm es $d o' derdP) 6 one b<offi awe
'.'n+i'.
a,.,*;' * n"r 'p;"t"s"d ' D"'PrtesuchdsPnado* IJ nantie thdttists Ne nuLtl dntnealists (dfld do not d8'Y in uhat I nrysef
"i',i"." 'r',, '* -i stix l'ce *ved <ndusr84
howe\er $o.e h ho world e_Pob"
_ 'Jo a +re M,]d all seryteptian' dbnutlhan antierlisft), thd isn t x tutungor Prab
ihsrv has bd chalenged (F{eld' 190; Hetd &
ionstructto*m o . cliniial bfutk lot a Mnatite thenPtstta heLPa.lilnt ca ea,srru.t t ntu tutroh|e' at
b' if the only ihnE we @
Pot 1987)a' beinq*lf Plerstiauy ncotuB'ot Thdt stary, thit th. the pNt tdkt to be|ntlealist but thd allous, iJ not deatnS6'
ot €dit)l we oare abour how tmss
:,:;;;';,;;:..;**r 'aror 'rdro (l e{) the .tldt ta tak tD bl th. abiett..e ttttlL or mlity abort hi. ht'e?(P 236)
:-.u" :,," .,i.1', .t *6 rr ror therdPFts Moe rc(6r') Amuden
'* ddE4'hdr turdhle chol
n^ wirr.n tl.a_'.tre,e ^ a.mprgin8 PosiDudenrt
i4'hile chnlleng€s such as thes€ certairny are meaningtul and Poinr to arels that
er'rP &j\'dd theidP^ts ecdfta @
or-Lnce i: bernsn nl up lhe modemi'l
h rl1 llle crPchon ol our ncw :rones dboul rdPv requie alt€ntion, they seem on.e aSain to iall into the category of aPPliGtion As
be" ae of a sr-nine ce1'rry
c8drtul the dalron ol r fdn!\ LherrPv r'ryio m Ce€en (1994b)writes, the issue isnotwhethcr the individu.l exists Rath.t whal
-i-il"rrl, ro"" ltnrr
",* is rt issue ii whether it is L\e individul as inJomation Pro.e$or or the individual
as a paniopdt in rhe interPesonal world of relatiomhips who hs cdter st!8._
and UBtd Itton'rtu furthq, the lact ol a real tality somewhere oul drcre is not de ed; on that sodal
thiae( Mula b" ft't a' f xPd' @ pfnaddbm js
',aito*. and All kinn' rnn LdE ol nu .oGtmctionism is mute. What is ai6med, however, that as soon as we attemPt
iart,r .aaud'ahotuli 't. 'Lotu1el|?R , "we wodd of disourr. At that mommt the Prdess
N4'?PliaB ot b descnbe realil-!, mter the
ao" ?qFea P uould b? 'Pd"ctd to l\ttrd't
nru ol of coretrucrion commencs, md this effort is inexhicably woven into PM6ses ol
J-.nur,. u"L\ vuld bP.ode wtiat fuutddt n't kd' tot 0 toft
s(ial interchage and inro history and culture" {P 72)
lntrersal k adetlee lP 51)
 Chapta 4 / Pottmaderaisn ond FMtll! rhtt,t)ir
trtt t I ltl I rr r t' tr xt\1 ^

rrl r i ' ri Jr\ rl rJ|/rJ 4re' '' ort thde '; it shtus thtl thde is no insiie rnd no attside, no objeclbe uatld far
| ,h. i' r r llir ' r r { '
- h Jr " ' q
, - - - ' " " . * " .]-' ' .i " i ." ' d r' rre rr' " n Jhd" ' ' ' L $(\^u l rar! dur ron- ng th. subje.ttu, athd, it shtus thot th. srbject<biect stllit, thtt sout! ol
' " i o \c ' | -e u rn rrrrP ' D e^o! hre' Lhrrne P hoonena nynads ol tulites," daestut erist, that the drya/dt sepantiofl af tla !'arltl
:' ,' :il' ,:j,: ;. ; h ;;;:;.' " ' -r Mrq r w d )' b ! e" h rdi v' dui r' !u inta pais of opposits is cbBtructetl b! the sabject, afln *at pdtadd atms the
, ii" " i ' ' p" u' rGed' n
1'i'"', " ." "
.,r"*a;' * " 0 ' ' ea h rPe inEb\ thd' PeMr dd h'n Fdd nv du auy futo autonomy.
^i^i'" " "rp c(e*b'\ o tFzP r hil ne'cr6'ur ir thc w"v
:'";:: ;;;;"i.;;;;
l' l ", " d D P\ tn i' oto(P si t " ' rcrrv $e ' dP-n'e $' \' Fr A final challsSe f@s6 on the .oncem voiced by mmy that by ralint socn n
I iio".
- - l -i rr
ll, i' . i' * " I" l * * - ' r" ' a P F b o re rs Idr th' l eb nJr-dhrFttur mov stmce, we ru the risk of tluowinS the baby of theory a nd foundarional knoi{icdge
'l ' r," J ' Jr;;r E c ^ rFd L me' h'rh \tL-h rhe\ eniPrd the' out ldih the bathwater of ou belief in the posibilit,v of possesslnB truth about our
:1".;-:;J;;;;i -'P
ti c!nP hd' i ' on rcaliry ln esponse to this con em, Amudson (1996) su8Sests a foc on p.agmat
* ^ tn ' r' o s a " r I ' o u rr rP N dd' n6thal
' -^. lj' --ii"
" " ". 'r" u " i n n o ro n I thP dP sr' o
P snci & P vdFl i red br i6 lhat honors iheory but drarvs upon it in telm ol its utility:
* --.1 - ' ," a " t' rM d oi dd thr'rhe/ Jbiriryro
fi:'il':,*'J:;;-" i'; thcir ruLhu-tP '*
;" "''"r ' o'rrL re ru ' r$ Jrn ndp ' dti 5rd' rodrcdri h Coflldtihat tnths r/e laund jf, the tlrdtory ol the otti.fdcts, the ralle.tianaf
-' : ; ; :' "^.- ,. , 1 . r," tg " ' r"' ".* ,' ! i ' l ' fi L l ' " rJD brtu' be dr' d d" odnA ' ocer8" 1 grn, $efu|, ontl necesery ideasthat ue needto accanplish thltgs in aur dat! ta
' rth
jr faciliiatrng dt! ltus. Stch utilit! daesnat dbiute Nsthetic aryeciatian. tn fa.t, it altaa.atos
(1991, P.251), rhatof Iot it. To do S@d ttlk teqtires goad ide6, ond the flae goad irlens-th't is,
4pral ta dl bt' Ituth'' psspe.titd/truthsl.niJnet*ae hlle, the nap likeu E@dnEs .nn b. ttaflstal.a
vr "ttr y v d' tih u hnl
,' "d,eii'
a to
,|tu
i ."r a,it ,l ,;.l t aat
a " ' " p ; ' & h a " ta .aataot th?D ' obl frdP tnion ntr' ttilit! Ihn conteptti.a nat flegitee$dtillisl atlarfldaliofloltaspItit$,
* tp | ' t i r th" a" t1n ot n$' attt
G rt l bu! itasksthen toutn then keep.(p.176)
i' ; ' " i " , -tu
" ' * ' t:atu no.ar 'F aad a t'Ph^ ro' L\d,aalis
i.",;""'";;,'i'-.,,,,' "'"'
we t at n; Fdannl\ ln oiher rLonls, we are to have recoBe to a vdiery of stories, in re.ogtution that
o' I rf'd"d taPtu:al 'it|''nt each has some validity relntive to contet. Horvever, neither we nor our theories
d - o lllP,' r r lo - ' P qrl pt r a P o'l aodcmi sl P P t_ a re inrallible, and e\.en competing ideas may prove meaningtul. To help theiapists
hop, o fo m An d e GPl' l' o r
d fip uudburnltrF JpPTdcI" dr practicc in a manner consistent with thir positio( Adddson offeis the folo*ing
jr .
-".

ilir:*;
v x'.lx: iptHl;;:,";:l
"." -a

rt' n''''t
i;::;;#;:[*fi
' -"S ""}'"*a
i:':J:i:
*r"-' rotnPre\FroIP"*
'onlPhdbund
"Vow oi the PraSmaticClinician":

I shd| Jiad neithd .aftt'on flat t'indl reposein Dn! betief.an.erning spe.Ifua 1Dals
i l",:';'"'";;.4','
, *, "'^' s son8 on hd wp
;::'; ;' p ," ," . I -* * .,,r,, lot aU al us ta lie. I an innadtea in jaatfleys nat destindtiafls. L shatl sptinlu
" -,, "@ not sepdtdtedlsef liott Jta, by ofl! stgt.stians that I kn@ the d'n.e stepsar
!'
" ;| r1 e ;:"
: ::m'li"l:"t' ll".-":1";-*;fJi*i :il';ij:l'fi'i':
l,'J:'':;the r b"halinqhd
posse'\ the ..rle baDkJbt dLl al $. Thte 1sao arta/chiflg reasofl ot ua.! ta be,
,r""n:'."il onlu n renliatia, thdt rettnifl being at redsaflifl\ trdetia na! b. ftae cona.
:-l:^ ;.;;".-"'' l::T1""'"n-*Fr nient thai othets. tlh e tue sea..hJnt y.rtd lehlctes oJ.anvnkfle ' (that is,
..o \i.r d r ilh n h a l h e 5 d v he D e'erP dd N o'd P ortrdvi n8 our

-i:.:j':ri:r!;,1::i:::l'*i:Ti:t"il:;lfl """"I11T1ff
-".""".,hr ^ thearies/prudr6), ue alsodcceptthdt pethnps the b$t lue cafl hapelar is nonca-

d dr r'11nd
borh. orrrrr6
ffJ;
t4;16rcon-
efted.DnsmiB drisrtgllDft Lirel! inn Lsellrt.a"roiltiafl. (p.4U)
l,L"'","" 'ii,;J '. '"r*" '
:i :: ;i ::i:":';.:;::iI:.ijii"l "-J-i;l'."1'1''"J
:i::;.T'l":; \ ' f '' r \ 'm w : m L 'r F 'c r i / e
:;J;;' r 'r r u 'r '{ n
"; "' """' ' ' g' r - ' ' "' 1. ' I i r ner F" r r r P d ! J r ! '^ 'r ' ln this chapte. se consuered some of thc.u.rent d.v.lopm.nts .nd dcbatcsim-
,;'lt;
":...-"," . - r , ' ""- ' , "s r F. . - , , n. , . ' n . ' \ ' - r I n i \ r . '. u F o , r ', h ' pictin8onnn{lLhnr..tcnsh.otth. tumlly th.f,rfv fntJ $ w.ll n5ot thr Wesl.nr in
l,':, J . , , . . , r . i, ,
l' ' ! ' t .l l {tr n r l tr i l L i n ) n s.m r .i s,r .t!'\.r ) stb n si .!r L u r sr fd r s$ u r n Ftn ,n sh n v.b !..
\.trJ\t t ! \ ' l lr \ r lllr r s r
. r l L \l i n r ( ) .tu .\h ,n !vn l , th r 'e n u $ l o i f.r h n .d 'n i Jn r . Sr n n .!.n d th . {i !n
hlr( enderyor ra.uad on r|5corcnng J disrrtrinrtnrg truth .1k-brinE.Iitiqtud
i.nr r p..spe.h!c thrt !nd€rs.or.\ lh. nn..inrind nr.lt me.nin8 makjnE.Olcen
trrl importrn.. is linSrJAe, wIi.h is un.lcrsnx]d to be. sdialll.onstmcteds_vst€m
Ptt 1 / lht Sltsknn FtunNk

and whiln. ltNush donidnrJnd Pnvi-le8eddi*orlg

;TJJ*'i-il+"1iir
i:*'*,i;**"*:Hr;1fl"':i.HJfl
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ffi*ffii.GFii
r*i: fri*:ru:r;:*mJt *iLhth" +
't"rur'rybmeii'
Pdadisr we ar5o
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nsff;"#.i:j"*:'J;J