Contexts

Working with an "identified patient" in a "chaotic" or "unhealthy" context... how would Erickson approach this? (I've intentionally added the quotes as these are terms specific to various other schools of therapy, and I am uncertain whether or not they are really applicable to an Ericksonian perspective.)

For example, I often see children and adolescents who are referred for therapy for "not following the rules at home." The majority of these kids live in homes with few parent/child boundaries and chronic emotional abuse. Rarely, if ever, do the parents consciously perceive themselves as having a role in "the problem." The kids do fine in individual therapy, showing little if any "oppositional" behavior. I have gone to the home and made requests of the kids and, thusfar, they follow the requests WHILE I AM THERE.

Family therapy has generally consisted of my joining with the parent(s) about how difficult this child is FOR THEM, expressing empathy about how exhausted they are, attempting to indirectly outline solutions based on their (parents') metaphors and contexts (occupation, family of origin, hobbies, their own emancipation process), and role-modeling how to get the kid to do something (clean their room, etc).

What am I missing that would be helpful from an Ericksonian point of view?

Replies:

Re:Contexts, by Steve Lankton, 01/06/04

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