When is systemic therapy helpful?
Systemic therapy is suitable for people in conflict, crisis and stressful situations - basically whenever you feel stressed or overwhelmed or are looking for a solution to a problem or a new perspective.
The effectiveness of systemic therapy is scientifically well-documented, particularly for the following clinical symptoms: anxiety, depression, mania, bipolar disorder, addictions, schizophrenia and supporting the treatment of somatic illnesses. (see also:
Report of the Scientific Advisory Board for Psychotherapy).
“You can never solve problems with the same thinking that created them.”
--- Albert Einstein
What does systemic mean?
Systemic thinking assumes that we socially construct the reality in which we live. Every person perceives their environment in a different way.
Based on our life experiences, we form values and life plans, which in turn influence our experience. Each person constructs a unique subjective reality.
In systemic therapy, we take a holistic and unbiased view of people and their social relationships. This allows us to observe and potentially change connections, interactions and dynamics.
This appreciative, non-judgmental attitude and the focus on resources and solutions are core elements of systemic therapy.
Together, we explore alternatives and new perspectives, but also consciously perceive differences. By adopting new perspectives, we change our attitudes and therefore also our behavior in the various relationships.
Systemic thinking enables us to look for suitable solutions and consciously expand our scope of action.
What happens in systemic therapy?
In systemic therapy, after an initial anamnesis, we will explore the symptoms and the conditions and contexts in which they occur. Symptoms are previous attempts at solutions that have a purpose and were successful in the past but are no longer experienced as functional today. Paradoxically, in this exploration we will also discover many resources for your future path.
New and interesting perspectives often come from exploring your family history and current relationship systems. Past and present constellations can be reclassified. Patients often discover abilities that they have not used enough for themselves so far.
Body and psyche influence each other. We involve the body in an appropriate way as a resonance space, a storehouse of experience and a guide to new solutions. If indicated, I will ask you to examine physical influences on your psyche with a doctor.
Systemic therapy is usually short-term therapy with 10 to 25 sessions. The frequency of the sessions and the duration of the therapy are freely selectable. An individual therapy session usually lasts 50 minutes. For some topics and exercises, e.g. constellations, it may be advantageous to have more time available.