Brief/Strategic Approaches to Therapy: A Commentary

Abstract

Were I asked to explain strategic psychotherapy standing on one leg. . . I would answer, "Patients attempt to master theirproblems with a strategy which, because it is unsuccessful, the therapist changes. All the rest is commentary. (Strategic Psychotherapy: Brief & Symptomatic Treatment, Rabkin, 1977, page 5) The options available to players to bring about particular outcomes arecalled strategies. At the same time, Don Jackson, a psychiatrist, was developing his ideas on family homeostasis (Jackson, 1957). He began working closely with the Bateson research group and was subsequently to become a member. "Data of various types were used in the research: Hypnosis, ventriloquism, animal training, popular moving pictures, the nature of play, humor, schizophrenia, neurotic communication, psychotherapy, family systems and family therapy." (Haley, 1963, page ix) Over the ten years duration of this project many visits were made by its members to consult with Milton Erickson to discuss aspects of hypnosis and therapy and also to receive supervision on their own cases. Transcripts of many of these consultations have recently been published in three volumes edited by Jay Haley (1985).In 1956, the classic and seminal paper Toward a Theory ofSchizophrenia was published by Bateson, Jackson, Haley and Weakland, elaborating the double-bind theory of the etiology of schizophrenia.In 1958, Don Jackson founded the Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto, California, and was joined by John Weakland, Jay Haley, Jules Riskin, Virginia Satir and Paul Watzlawick.In 1963, Haley published his brilliant book Strategies of Psychotherapy, which highlighted the paradoxical nature of all therapy and which demonstrated the influence of Milton Erickson on his thinking.In 1966 Richard Fisch started the brief therapy project within the MRI, which was to have a profound effect on the development of brief/strategic approaches.

The Problem of Strategy Within the Systemic Therapies*

“…3Accounts of strategic therapy (e.g., Cade, 1987;Hoffman, 1981) classify Haley's earlier work as more purely strategic or process-oriented, in constrast to his later work, which is seen as more organizational, structural, or form-oriented. Hoffman (1981, p. 279) states, "although in some respects Haley should be placed with the strategic school, he is really a bridging figure between the strategic and structural positions."…”

“…There are few explicit definitions of "strategic therapy" itself in the literature (see Cade, 1987;Held, 1986;Patterson, 1987), and since Haley is credited with coining that term (Cade, 1987;Hoffman, 1981), his definition serves us as well as any:…”

A reframe by any other name: on the process of refraining in strategic, Milan and analytic therapy

“…O'Hanlon would refer to this as an example of the dual process of 'splitting' and 'linking', where behaviour is split from causal explanation, and new * Brian Cade gives a useful discussion of the historical developments in the strategic therapies, as well as a differentiation of some of the contemporary models (Cade, 1987). behaviour is linked to the same explanation (O'Hanlon, 1984; 2).…”

A Re‐Introduction to Family Therapy Clarification of Three Schools

“…Given that metaphor and language are important parts of the strategic approach, at times the therapeutic intervention may involve telling a story or fable (Cade, 1987). This would contain the key elements of the client's dilemma and may also point to new options or alternative solutions.…”