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Finding one's place: emotions and positioning in systemic‐dialogical therapy
Author(s) -
Lini Claudia,
Bertrando Paolo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6427
pISSN - 0163-4445
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6427.12267
Subject(s) - dialogical self , psychotherapist , psychology , reciprocal , context (archaeology) , therapeutic relationship , intervention (counseling) , family therapy , orientation (vector space) , social psychology , paleontology , philosophy , biology , linguistics , geometry , mathematics , psychiatry
Several psychotherapy and family therapy models emphasise work on emotions, both as emotional awareness and transference analysis. Systemic therapy has developed in time a peculiar emphasis on the therapist's position, and on therapists’ and clients’ reciprocal positioning. In the present article we propose to integrate the dimensions of emotions and positioning through a concept we define as ‘finding one's place’. Finding one's place can be considered as a universal positioning activity of anybody involved in any human interaction, involving different domains: macro‐context, group, mutual relationships, internal dialogue. It entails an integration of these domains through an increased awareness of one's position inside relevant systems, and emotional interaction. Practitioner points Clinicians usually consider positioning and emotions as separate domains for evaluation and intervention The integration of the two domains allows a deeper, three‐dimensional view of therapeutic events inside and outside therapeutic sessions Through the activity of finding her place, the therapist may reach a better understanding of dilemmas and problems in her clients’ relational lives The therapist may also gain a better orientation for her clinical work