Neuroscience and Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy: Roots of [Contemporary] Psychotherapy

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to review the symbolic-experiential family therapy model of Carl Whitaker and apply it specifically to recent neuroscience findings. The article concludes that symbolic-experiential family therapy reflects many of the recent findings in neuroscience including the role of implicit learning and memory formation, the importance of the relationship between the couple or family and the therapist, increasing stress and anxiety in order to facilitate change, which activates the right brain, and unstructured and spontaneous interaction, which promotes brain reorganization.

Science catching up: Experiential family therapy and neuroscience

“…This article provides an invitation to rethink classic experiential family therapy through the lens of modern neuroscience to highlight the modern relevance of the clinical approach pioneered by Virginia Satir and Carl Whitaker. Roberts & Chafin (2020) recently published an article applying the symbolic‐experiential model of psychotherapy to neuroscience. Their article offers a novel look at Carl Whitaker's work and the role of unconscious memory in symbolic‐experiential psychotherapy.…”