Creative Marriage and Family Therapy
The Role of Creativity in Marriage and Family Therapy
Rarely do psychological studies focus on therapists’ perceptions of creativity in treating marital and family problems, or the personality characteristics of highly creative therapists. A study on the importance of creativity in marriage and family therapy, however, examined these uniquely creative topics.
“The Role of Creativity in Marriage and Family Therapy Practice: A National Online Study,” poled 142 U.S. marriage and family therapists in 36 states. The therapists responded to questions focused on the meaning of creativity, the characteristics of a “creative” family therapist, and innovative interventions the therapists have employed in their practices.
University of Wyoming Professor David K. Carson and his colleagues from UW and the University of Illinois-Springfield reported the findings in Contemporary Family Therapy.
The researchers referenced other psychological studies, referring to counseling as an essentially “creative enterprise.” This means that clients and counselors combine their thoughts, resources, and goals to generate a new plan, develop a different outlook, and formulate alternative behaviors. In short, therapists help others begin a new life.
Another important reason to study creativity within a therapeutic framework stems from the authors’ beliefs that creative thinking by both therapists and their clients leads to more effective and lasting outcomes in couples and family work.
The study surveyed therapists using both quantitative and qualitative questions.
Researchers used quantitative questions in the Likert format, (see Psychological Assessments) asking therapists to rate various creativity measures, on a scale of 1 to 5, such as how others viewed their creativity, the degree to which they applied their creative ideas in therapy, and the amount of time they spend developing their creativity.
The open-ended or qualitative questions asked the therapists to examine and comment on three areas: the personality traits of creative therapists, creative interventions used by therapists, and barriers to creative therapy.
Personality traits
Therapists participating in the study listed the top characteristics of creative therapists as flexibility and risk taking.
Flexibility means having the ability to apply traditional treatments in novel ways. Originality of thought and action is a staple trait in almost all studies on creativity, and in terms of counseling, the therapists stated that it means having the ability to adapt existing theories and approaches into customized treatment plans.
Referring to the response of “risk taking,” the therapists stated that this didn’t mean making dangerous activities part of therapy. Instead, they stated that creative therapists are able to “think on their feet,” making intuitive statements to what a client says or does during therapy.
For example, often the clients’ stated reasons for seeking marriage and family counseling aren’t the real reasons for the underlying problems. Therapists must possess a great deal of creativity to unravel these problems, moving clients toward a more honest appraisal, a higher level of awareness, and finally, emotional healing.
Another intuitive aspect to creative therapy focuses on the therapist’s awareness level of his or her own creativity, and the meaning and role of creativity in their work.
“The helping process is facilitated when therapists learn to listen to their own intuitive voices and help clients get in touch with their intuitive thoughts and feelings,” the article stated.
Creative interventions
As for creative interventions, the therapists listed a number of innovative approaches, many of which replicate conventional creative activities such as role playing, role reversal, constructing murals and collages, composing stories, letter writing, and other forms of narrative therapy.
However, the therapists generated some specific examples of the most “creative” therapeutic interventions.
These examples included:
- Letting clients take the role of therapist;
- Having couples or families create a video of a happier marriage/family in the future;
- Letting clients or families create their own treatment plans as if their problems were happening to another marriage or family;
- Using pretend animals created by family members to verbalize feelings, desires and wishes.
The researchers concluded from the therapists’ answers that creative therapy far exceeds traditional talk therapy, or simply verbalizing problems and employing talking cures. In other words, marriage and family therapy is as much “an experience as a dialogue.”
Barriers to creativity
The barriers to creativity were as researchers expected, such as the amount of paperwork now required, often associated with working through issues of managed health care.
But one response in particular surprised the researchers. This response was centered on clients’ resistance to the efforts of therapists to use “out of box” or innovative types of treatment approaches.
The therapists stated that when they tried to be more innovative or design a creative intervention, many clients refused to participate.
Authors of the study hypothesized about the reasons for this unwillingness, stating that some individuals are simply unable or uncomfortable in engaging in experiential types of activities. But another reason for their resistance might originate from the therapist who also has some inhibitions or hesitations to implementing a creative approach. Clients sense this hesitancy, and become inhibited themselves, refusing to participate.
Time constraints were the most common barrier to creativity. Therapists said that they simply didn’t have enough time to “contemplate, learn about, and implement more creative techniques and interventions.”
Creative development
The researchers concluded the study by stating the importance of therapists and counselors nurturing their own creativity, an activity that permits them to creatively inspire others.
They suggest attending national workshops, conventions, and other events focused on clinical and personal creativity. They also suggest that professionals within a community form groups specifically centered on enhancing therapeutic creativity.
Finally, organizations should conduct in-service training for mental health professionals focusing on creativity development, providing a variety of learning opportunities, including the ability to discuss creative interventions and therapies with other therapists, and hands-on projects to give therapists a toolkit for devising more creative treatments.