Virginia Satir Model

In the field of marriage and family therapy, there are several theoretical approaches inextricably linked with their creators, therapeutic perspectives rooted in the worldview of the individuals who served as their greatest champions. The Virginia Satir Model epitomizes that phenomenon. Virginia Satir (1916–1998) was both a humanist and a systems thinker. She believed everyone had a potential toward which they could grow, and that the context of their lives played an important role in their development. To Satir, growth involved more than simply gaining information or accumulating facts; it also involved the experiences, interpersonal connections, and perceptions that impact people at an emotional level. In her work, she tried to foster such connections with her clients—as she once said, “How can I use me, any ...