New Horizons in Systemic Practice with Adults (Palgrave Texts in Counselling and Psychotherapy)

This book explores the various applications of systemic understanding in practice. Each chapter covers diverse working contexts and existential life dilemmas, tackling subjects such as: systemic work with individuals, single session family therapy, experiences of adult longing, the therapeutic relationship as a form of love, working systemically with experiences of marginalisation, cultural difference and diversity, the integration of recent neuroscience developments with systemic therapy with couples, the role of forgiveness and the spiritual dimension in therapy. Throughout, this book promotes hope by presenting new horizons and providing room for reflection on uncertainty, change, opportunities, inter-connections and differences. Theoretical expansion of these existential issues lies both at the heart of systemic work and on the leading edge of research and theory-practice linking, showing how the integration of research with new developments across the broader fieldsof psychotherapy and counselling can be held within a systemic relational umbrella. Acknowledgements Contents Notes on Contributors 1: Editors’ Introduction Reference 2: The Therapeutic Relationship: A Systemic View of Agape How We Came to Write This Chapter The Conceptual Belonging of Agape ‘Therapeutic Love’ Within the Psychoanalytic Tradition Reflections on Agape Within the Systemic Tradition Power and Difference Therapy as an Attachment Process The Meeting of Minds Supervision and Therapist Self-Care Conclusion References 3: Trust, Movement and Collaboration: An Exploration of Trust, Its Significance and Its Forms of Expression in Therapy Sessions Dear Reader This Chapter’s Invitation to You “Show, Don’t Tell” and the Refinement of Knowledge About Oneself Moving the Perspective Suicide: Caring What Creates Trust When Different Considerations Are in Opposition? Final Remarks References 4: Questioning Forgiveness Prelude (Anne) Introduction II III (Bård) IV V (Anne) VI (Bård) VII VIII (Anne) IX CODA References 5: Longing, and Longing for Oneself: What Can Therapists Learn from “Soul Activism”? Introduction The So-Called Self Turning the Gaze Away from Oneself A Departure from Nature? Healing Through Surrendering Therapy: A Healing Process for the Therapist? Love as a Transaction or as a Universal Dimension? Soul Activism Are We All Therapists? References 6: Giving Resonance and Room to Spirituality in Systemic Practice Introduction Our Journeys The Spiritual Human Religious Life Humanistic Spirituality Voices of Spirituality from Youths Longing for Belonging The Mystery of Life Spirituality and Systemic Practice To Be Met in Love How to Be Familiar with the Unfamiliar? Making Room for Wondering and Reflections Embrace the Complexity The Therapist’s Spiritual Path Time for Contemplation Closing Reflections References 7: The Gift of Literary Fiction to Systemic Training and Practice My First Reading Experiences Longing for Home What Does It Mean to Live Separately and Together? Literary Fiction: A Tuning Fork for Sensitivity The Journal, the Novel and Their Different Voices Bringing Literature Groups into the Study of Family Therapy Report from One of the Literature Groups References 8: Till Life Do Us Apart: An Exploration of Crumbs on the Floor and Existential Themes in Couples Therapy Introduction Our Own Life Experiences Cultural Context and Background The Couple How to Explore Existential Themes Theoretical Introduction Relating to Melody and Margot Exploring with Melody and Margot: Step by Step Step 1: Creating a Community of Wonder and Finding an Existential Theme Step 2: Find Events of Positive Manifestation of Phenomena and Choose One Step 3: Explore and Find the Essential Characteristics of the Phenomena in the Narrative Step 4: Explore and Challenge What We Find Step 5: Strengthening What We Find in Everyday Life and Relationship Alternative Themes to Explore Conclusion What Can Existential Exploration Offer Couples? References 9: Should I Stay, or Should I Go? Rethinking Identity and the Experience of Migration as a Systemic Dialogue in Therapy The Subtle Layers of the Migration Process What Happens in the Therapy Room When Both Therapist and Client Are Migrants? Intergenerational Implications and Cultural Assumptions Rethinking Identity: Reframing and Self-disclosure Musings About “Home” Conflict of Loyalty: Should I Stay, or Should I Go? Resources and Traps Behind a Common Cultural Origin Concluding Thoughts References 10: If We Only Met Once? A Talk with Five Single Session Orientated Therapists Introduction Therapeutic Findings The Bigger Picture Context and Process Preparation and the Beginning of a Session Questionnaires The First Hello Creating a Belief for Change During the Session Collaboration Embedded Hope Creativity in How We Work Safety and Openness Towards the End and After a Session Sharing Reflections Summaries and the Takeaway Being the Therapist When We Need More Than One Session or a Different Therapist Conclusion References 11: Coming Full Circle with the Neuroscience: Using New Theory to Re-understand Therapy Complex Trauma Dispositional Representations Integration and Self-Reflexivity The Advent of Polyvagal Theory Conclusion References 12: Epilogue Index