Why Go to Family Therapy

Storybook reading is now emerging as a common technique of Scottsdale family therapy. There are now quite a number of Scottsdale therapists who have observed positive results in their sessions with individuals facing varied family issues. It is essential that we spend some time and understand the science behind the technique before storytelling is adopted as a major element of the family therapy approach.

Storytelling when used for family therapy relays ideas and messages holistically. This effect enables the listeners to receive the message in a simple, logical manner and through one session.

Storytelling is considered as an age-old form of expressing ideas and emotions. This type of communication is the native language understood by almost all ages, young and old. On the other hand, the abstract form of communication can be applied only to individuals who are at least 8 years old.

This method of communication allows the family therapist to communicate in a way that allows him to sort out the elements in logical sequence out from a chaotic setting. This approach relates the individual to time and space, and the direction of the sequence of events becomes clearer which allows the therapist to deliver a more sensible idea or message. Family therapists want to deliver holistic realities once they adopt storytelling as an main technique in their therapy sessions as opposed to abstract method of communication which normally breaks down the message into fragments.

Abstract type of communication forces on our perceived time and space and sets its own framework and applies such mental framework to another individual. The setups of such an abstract type of therapy is that the person is limited to just two options- accepting or rejecting the idea relayed by the family therapist. With the abstract communication approach, one ends up with a yes-no, all or nothing type of confrontation. Unlike in storytelling comes out as a collaborative encounter which encourages the listener to participate in activities and exercises with the family therapist. This narrative element of family therapy is sort of like a rhythmic dance instead of a communication struggle.

What makes this narrative approach a truly effective adjunct of the entire family therapy procedure is that it allows the listener create a parallel event in his own consciousness. This increases the possibility of acceptance more than the rejection that we normally experience in the abstract type of communication.

Another critical aspect of storytelling has something to do with tacit knowledge. We know more things than we think we are capable of knowing and it is essential to acknowledge the importance of tacit knowledge in the overall scheme of things.

Finally, abstract type of communication is in general described as dry and dull because individuals have to struggle to it to reality. As living creatures with unique characteristics we are easily attached to things that are animate and reject inert and inanimate things like abstracted concepts. Individuals always consider the experience of storytelling as lively and entertaining. Its an effective way of getting people to accept ideas because they are presented explicitly by a competent family therapist.

Filed under Kids and Teens |