A systemic-dialogical framework for individual therapy

Working systemically with individual in the present-day world involves a growing awareness of new complexities and challenges: often clients experience the oppression of patriarchal relationships, social and emotional isolation, physical abuse or pathological shame. The systemic therapist’s understanding of these lived experiences should be reinvigorated, first of all by adopting a dialogical stance, then by considering dimensions such as queer theory, feminist theory, non-traditional family formats, and the impact of neoliberalism. The latter, especially, fostering fragmentation and instability in social life, makes the individual emphasis necessary. 

Building on the foundations of systemic therapy, Claudia Lini and I have tried to enrich it through a new understanding of emotions and the body, integrating gender, age, race, and class awareness in our systemic-dialogical approach. Our reading of human systems and contexts stems from the Milan systemic tradition; the practical way of working is consonant with Bakhtinian dialogue. The basic tenets of this approach include: the awareness of one’s position in a system and of one’s emotions (finding one’s place), the relevance of social attunement and political positioning, the centrality of gender issues, and the necessity for both therapists’ and clients’ to take responsibility. 

Moving from general concepts to practical issues, this workshop will deal with: 

• maintaining a dialogical, polyphonic emphasis while doing therapy; 

• considering any therapeutic act as a political act; 

• developing awareness of the therapist’s and client’s emotions; 

• finding one’s place: integrating emotions and one’s own position in systems and contexts; 

• helping the client to take responsibility for their own positioning in systems; 

• working on the client’s (and the therapist’s) expectations. 

Both specific exercises and reflections on clinical examples will be used to this purpose during the workshop. Participants are encouraged to bring their own cases and experiences for sharing and discussion.