SC04 – The 9 Logics Beneath the Brief Therapy Interventions
Location: Cypress C
Hundreds of brief therapy techniques exist. In this presentation, I will identify the 9 underlying logics, together with methodology and examples. The 9 logics are:
(1) Direct block of attempted solution: techniques which call in a more or less direct way for the patient to stop a certain behavior in order to block the attempted solution.
(2) Create aversion: techniques aimed at creating in the patient an aversion towards something, such as to a behavior, or a form of interaction or relationship, etc.
(3) Creating awareness: techniques are meant to help the client become aware themself of something, that is the wrong behavior or of their abilities and resources.
(4) Create from nothing: techniques that are designed to create or amplify resources, skills and abilities in the client, to introduce changes in their perceptions and behaviors.
(5) Increase to reduce: within this category are a large number of paradoxical techniques.
(6) Small changes (or small violations): techniques aimed at solving a problem by implementing small, often incremental, changes.
(7) Strengthen the relationship: essentially designed to strengthen the therapeutic alliance, this is the only one of the nine logics that is not intended to directly produce a therapeutic result.
(8) Shift the focus: many techniques can be designed to shift the patient’s attention.
(9) Vent and process: techniques that aim to vent and/or further process a particular lived experience.
We need to remember that a technique is but an instrument obeying the logic of intervention: once the logic is identified, the therapist can derive and produce appropriate techniques.
Educational Objectives:
- Identify 9 logics underlying different brief therapy interventions.
- Demonstrate 2 or more interventions that can be subsumed under each logic.
- Demonstrate how to integrate the “9 logics” process into participants’ own clinical practice.