Interactional Family Therapy Theory

The Mental Research Institute (MRI) Interactional Family Therapy was founded by Don Jackson in 1959 (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 285). Virginia Satir, John Weakland, Paul Watzlawick, and Richard Fisch were also some key contributors who helped with developing MRI (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p.285). MRI is in Palo Alto, California, which is where these contributors coincided with the Bateson Project (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 285). MRI theory was focused on the interactional approach among family members and how faulty communication patterns might lead to family dysfunctions (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 285). This theory seems to believe that all behavior is dealt with communication

The theorist believed that the solutions people use in attempting to alleviate a problem, usually contributes to the problem getting worse (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016). In this approach the therapist main goal is to alleviate the problem by changing the family structure without worrying about the past (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 288). This leads to first and second order changes, which is where first order changes is looking at behavioral changes and second order changes looks at the family structure (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 289). First order changes are short-lived and does not look at the family structure of the system (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 289). Second order changes requires a revision of the system’s structure and function (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 290). The first and second order changes help make a complete make-over within the families system and the way they interact with one another. In MRI Interactional Family Therapy reframing and relabeling comes into play with this approach. Reframing is defined as …… (work cite). Relabeling comes about with the attempts to alter the meaning of a situation by altering its conceptual and /or emotional context in such a way that the situation is perceived differently (Goldenberg, Stanton, &

BFT is a very time-limited practice that does not keep a person or family long in therapy (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 292). Since Don Jackson died unexpectedly at the age of 48, his approach lead to brief therapeutic sessions (Wendell p. 36). In BFT, no more than ten sessions are used and many drug rehabilitation and behavior clinics use BFT of some sort because of insurance companies (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 292). It has the notion that most human problems develop through the mishandling of normal difficulties in life (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p. 292). The attempted solutions imposed by families become the problem as people tend to do more of the same to try and resolve problems (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p.292). Since this approach to therapy is brief, it makes the client define their problem specifically as opposed to being generic (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p.292). Once, the therapist has a clear picture of the problem, the therapist works to change the situation or scope of the problem (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p.292). The therapist talks more about the solution to the problem more than anything else (Goldenberg, Stanton, & Goldenberg, 2016 p.292). The therapist also acts as a cheerleader or coach helping the client to come to a conclusion of solving their problem(work cite). Any small change to the