Organization of Experience Among Family Members in the Immediate Present: A Gestalt/Systems Integration

Kaplan, Marvin L.; Kaplan, Netta R.

doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.1982.tb01416.x

Cited by 9 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 6 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…An integrative psychodynamic-systemic approach to the treatment of couples and families has received attention in recent years (e.g., Feldman, 1982;Hatcher, 1978;Kaplan & Kaplan, 1982;Lansky, 1981;Lebow, 1984;Pinsof, 1983). Integrative approaches can be characterized by the therapist's access to a wide range of alternatives for conceptualizing the presenting problem and devising interventions which facilitate a match between therapy and client needs.…”

Section: Integrative Treatment Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

The Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder Within a Distressed Relationship*

Koch¹,

Ingram²

1985

J Marital Family Therapy

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An integrated systemic‐psychodynamic approach to the treatment of characterological disorders within conjoint marital therapy is suggested. Spouses' personality disorders may serve a homeostatic function within the marital relationship. Thus, any effort to effect change on either the marital or individual system level must address both the individual and relationship distress. Borderline personality disorder, an extreme characterological impairment, has been considered intractible, although object relations therapists have experienced success in treating such clients. The present paper draws from object relations and systemic therapies in developing a treatment approach to marriages which include at least one borderline spouse. A case example illustrates the conceptualizations and interventions which are proposed.

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Section: Integrative Treatment Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

The Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder Within a Distressed Relationship*

Koch¹,

Ingram²

1985

J Marital Family Therapy

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“…In terms of a theory of self-organizing experiential functioning the apparent stability of interactive process in multiperson relations may be explained on the basis of how people evolve and function as knowing how to maintain experiential steady states as they function in relationship to others (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1982). They learn how to organize a stable experiential "self' in relationship to how environmental activity is continuously being engaged by each individual system.…”

Section: Individual and Interactional Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The self-organization of human psychological functioning

Kaplan¹,

Kaplan²

1991

Syst. Res.

Self Cite

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This article describes the traditional model of human psychological functioning which dominates current theorizing, contrasts it with the new, emerging perspective of self-organizing processes, and applies this new approach to a theory of human psychological functioning. In the traditional model there is an assumption that processes of functioning are discretely different from physical structure. This assumption is shown to be intrinsic to a linear conceptual framework which implies that (a) stability of functioning derives from physical structure; (b) functioning is determined by the effects of enduring, antecedent components; (c) the environment can selectively influence structure; and (d) observational methods are capable of accessing and revealing processes of functioning. In the contrasting self-organizational perspective, structure and functioning are assumed to be given in one another at the level of organizational process. This formulation implies that as a system functions (a) its orderliness and stability are being determined by the ongoing functioning itself; (b) at the level or organizational functioning there are no antecedent structures separate from consequent activity; (c) systemic functioning exists as a unitary and continuous organizational process; and (d) organizational functioning cannot be instructed by environmental events. The work of Prigogine and of Maturana are examined as a basis for a theory of human psychological functioning as a self-organizing system. The theory that is proposed describes how attentional and experiential functioning evolve as a system of organizational continuity and coherence and how the process by which people recognize and identify their functioning secures this organizational functioning.

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“…Moreover, in a system perspective, there is a second difficulty: observational methods inevitably reduce continuous processes to discrete "things." Processes are not things or structures but are continuous and continually changing in relationship to their context (Dell, 1984;Kaplan & Kaplan, 1982). The difficulty in relating observational data to what is actually occurring is highlighted in Bateson's (1975) emphasis on the continuity of events: "Is there a place or time where one thing begins and another ends?"…”

Section: Processes Of Experiential Organization In Individual and Fam...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a theory of human functioning that is consistent with these ideas. A conception of the functioning of individual persons as ongoing organizations of processes in relationship to the environments is embodied in Gestalt therapy theory (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1982, 1985. The relevance of the Gestalt therapy position may be surprising to some readers who view it as an experientially oriented therapeutic method rather than as a theory of human functioning.…”

Section: The Organization Of Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%