| Marriage and Family Therapists of New York |
| Our therapeutic approach is based on Social Constructionism |
Social Constructionism is the theorectical basis of our
therapy. This is leading edge therapy. When we
consider knowledge is rooted in our way of seeing the
world, when we accept a given item as known, we are
also accepting the validity of many rules for
establishing the reality of truth as something that
exists outside of ourselves.
Generally, we are unaware of these rules, or the
particular "world" in which they belong. And generally
we do not think about the means by which these
worlds become established and how they can be
challenged and overturned (see Berger and
Luckmann, 1967 and Gergen, 1985).
The examination of such social constructions- -
definitions of reality under which individuals and their
families operate- - is the underlying basis of therapies
rooted in Social Constructionist assumptions.
therapy. This is leading edge therapy. When we
consider knowledge is rooted in our way of seeing the
world, when we accept a given item as known, we are
also accepting the validity of many rules for
establishing the reality of truth as something that
exists outside of ourselves.
Generally, we are unaware of these rules, or the
particular "world" in which they belong. And generally
we do not think about the means by which these
worlds become established and how they can be
challenged and overturned (see Berger and
Luckmann, 1967 and Gergen, 1985).
The examination of such social constructions- -
definitions of reality under which individuals and their
families operate- - is the underlying basis of therapies
rooted in Social Constructionist assumptions.
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| Our Theoretical Approach To Therapy |
Therapy involves
exploring person's
various current socially
constructed individual,
couple, and family
scripts and relating
them to the social
worlds in which they are
anchored.
exploring person's
various current socially
constructed individual,
couple, and family
scripts and relating
them to the social
worlds in which they are
anchored.
Social Constructionist therapist collaborates with clients
to co-create new stories, new possibilities, new ways of
seeing and being.
Together they work, fostering awareness and growth
that will affect both. Their agreement is nothing more
than to come together for a time: one human being to
another, to work together to talk to each other about
their realities and ultimately, through trust and mutual
respect, they will "see" with expanded vision.
The process that is generated is one where both are
motivated to mobilize processes in each other that will
ultimately promote psychological growth and expand
realities.
There is no therapist client dependency; both therapist
and client are equal and they are both equally
dependent, for all things are dependent on all other
things imperfect balance; they have connected with each
other on a different plane.
There is only process dependency and this is for both.
The process works; they feel its power. Both know when
it is operating because they become one, and like the
particles and waves, they become each other.
They connect with a reality that holds no bounds, yet
they feel their boundaries. At that moment they
experience the human condition, and its force is healing,
nurturing, and loving (See Atwood, 1995, 1996).
to co-create new stories, new possibilities, new ways of
seeing and being.
Together they work, fostering awareness and growth
that will affect both. Their agreement is nothing more
than to come together for a time: one human being to
another, to work together to talk to each other about
their realities and ultimately, through trust and mutual
respect, they will "see" with expanded vision.
The process that is generated is one where both are
motivated to mobilize processes in each other that will
ultimately promote psychological growth and expand
realities.
There is no therapist client dependency; both therapist
and client are equal and they are both equally
dependent, for all things are dependent on all other
things imperfect balance; they have connected with each
other on a different plane.
There is only process dependency and this is for both.
The process works; they feel its power. Both know when
it is operating because they become one, and like the
particles and waves, they become each other.
They connect with a reality that holds no bounds, yet
they feel their boundaries. At that moment they
experience the human condition, and its force is healing,
nurturing, and loving (See Atwood, 1995, 1996).
| Assumptions of Social Constructionism |
 | That we co-construct reality through language | |
| with another in a continual interaction with the socio-cultural environment. Thus, what is "real" is that which is co-constructed through language and interaction by individuals, couples, families in continual interplay with the surrounding socio-cultural environment. |
| that knowledge is a co-construction of a world | |
| through languaging with other people. |
| that there are no absolute truths and there are | |
| no absolute realities |
| that our inner world is a construct, colored by | |
| the past and our past is a construction. |
| that people who come for therapy are | |
| experiencing problems in living. They have tried many solutions- - most of which have been unsuccessful. The problems they report are not seen as being functional in maintaining their systems or as a manifestation of underlying pathology. They are seen as problems- - problems which have negative effects for them. The way that people language about problems is the way they can use language to co- construct a new story. |
| that people tend to re-create an image of their | |
| world by noticing behavior in others that confirms their self-definitions and definitions of situations and by selectively ignoring disconfirmatory behavior. Thus every description made by an observer is seen as a projection of themselves. |
| that through joining, the therapist creates an | |
| optimal safe environment in which change might occur. |
| that repetitive knowledge of behavior that is | |
| discrepant with persons' perceptual views will result in changes in their perceptual views (Atwood, 1995). |
To schedule an appointment call or
E-Mail us at jatwood@optonline.net
E-Mail us at jatwood@optonline.net
| Marriage and Family Therapy of New York |
542 Lakeview Ave., Rockville Centre, NY, 11570 19 West 34th Street, New York 70 Glen Cove Rd Roslyn Heights NY 11577
© 2007 Therapy Approach Site By: Joan D. Atwood
© 2007 Therapy Approach Site By: Joan D. Atwood
| 516-764-2526 |