MFT Exam - Satir Experiential

Satir’s Experiential Therapy, developed by Virginia Satir, is part of the Classical Schools of Family Therapy and emphasizes growth, authenticity, and connection. Satir believed people are inherently good and capable of positive change, but fear often blocks genuine expression. The primary goal of therapy is to raise self-esteem, which she described as a “full or empty pot.” Her approach is non-pathologizing, focusing on improving communication and emotional congruence (leveling). Satir identified dysfunctional communication styles—placaters, blamers, computers, and distractors—that arise from low self-worth. Through family sculpting, parts parties, and family reconstruction, clients explore relational patterns and increase self-awareness. The therapist acts as a nurturing guide, integrating body, mind, and feelings to foster authenticity, connection, and growth within relationships.

Satire Experiential:
One of Satir’s 4 dysfunctional communication styles. Often disagree with others and hold others responsible for things not going their way. Blamers often feel insecure and powerless, and feel that they must go to extreme measures—verbal and/or physical aggression—for anyone to really listen to them. Here, the self and the context are acknowledged, while the other is not.

Satire Experiential:
One of Satir’s 4 dysfunctional communication styles. Disregarding one’s own feelings of worth and handing power over to another individual (e.g. pleasing everyone in the family except one’s self). Here, the context and the other is acknowledged, but the self is not.

Satire Experiential:
The degree to which an individual feels as if their existence has value, influenced both internally and interrelatedly. Satir believed that developing an individual’s self-worth should always be a primary goal of growth-oriented therapy.

Satire Experiential:
An intervention where individuals will explore their various parts, both good and bad, to promote wholeness and integration in individual therapy. In family or group therapy, individuals will have others act out their various parts under their guidance and instruction.

Satire Experiential:
A key component to Satir’s approach to working with family’s was the therapist’s capacity to effectively model functional, healthy communication.

Satire Experiential:
The triad consists of the child and both parents. These dynamics serve as the primary source of the infant’s social interaction and only opportunity for a gratifying relationship—as so, it sets the stage for the developed internal sense of being within oneself and in relation to others. For example, a child will internalize how a woman treats a man based upon her perceptions of how her father treated her mother, and vise-versa with her mother toward her dad.

Satire Experiential:
The process in which a developing child begins to make sense of his parents’ differences, internalizing various perceptions of their behavior toward one another which will ultimately serve as a road map for his or her relational behaviors toward others.

Satire Experiential:
Satir considered levelers to be those demonstrating functional and effective communication styles. They can be open and honest in their communication and display genuine receptiveness as they listen to others. Levels are able to acknowledge the self, the other, and the context throughout communicative interactions.

Satire Experiential:
Satir considered metaphors as powerful tools for promoting change, often using them to communicate ideas that language cannot directly describe—this is particularly useful when introducing threatening material.

Satire Experiential:
Satire viewed the role of the therapist to be one of an equal; a unique individual serving to facilitate change through genuineness, empathy, curiosity, and transparency.

Satire Experiential: The concept used to identify relationships comprised of inappropriate roles.

Satire Experiential: An in-session intervention where family members are asked to place other family members in positions symbolic of their role in the family from the perceptive of the sculptor. Family members will take turns going about this process while reflecting on the experiences and interpretations throughout.

Satire Experiential: A process in which an individual re-experiences the development of their primary triad across several generations.

Satire Experiential:
This was an exercise where individuals would create a circle in the center of a page with the identifier “I am” along with 8 other concentric circles labeled in the following order: physical, intellectual, emotional, sensual, interactional, nutritional, contextual, and spiritual. This illuminated upon an individual’s strengths, resources, and interrelated nature of experience.

Satire Experiential: An intervention that explores thoughts and feelings while improving communication and self-worth. Clients are encouraged to share particular experiences of their appreciations and excitements, complaints and possible solutions, hopes and wishes, etc..

Satire Experiential: Instead of relying on predetermined techniques, Satir endorsed a model of using vehicles of change with clients that were more adaptable.

Satire Experiential: Satire identified four primary dysfunctional communication styles within families: Placaters, Blamers, Computers, and Distractors. Levelers referred to the functional communication style.

Satire Experiential: One of Satir’s 4 dysfunctional communication styles. Distractors desperately avoid conflict and will often change the topic of focus or conversation in the midst of escalation. Distracters may also avoid conflict by taking on the role of a placater, blamer, or computer, but quickly shift out of the stance prior to another’s reaction. Distracters often feel insignificant and scared inside. Here, the self, other, and context go unacknowledged.

Satire Experiential: Computers: One of Satir’s 4 dysfunctional communication styles. Computers are often overly-rational, level-headed, analytical, and speak in a matter-of-fact manner. Computers often fear the vulnerability associated with expressing their true feelings. Here, the context is acknowledged, but the self and other are not.

Satire Experiential: In Satir’s approach, all forms of behavior are considered communication and need to be tended to by the individual communicating as well as the recipient.

Satire Experiential: Satir’s belief that the mind, body, and feelings interact and influence communication processes at both the verbal and nonverbal level.