THE MACROSYSTEMIC MODEL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY - AUTONOMY AND ATTACHMENT INFAMILY SYSTEMS

As a field that identifies itself with personalities as much as it doe s with theories of personality, psychology is open to criticism from s keptics who find the multitude of approaches to mental health confound ing. In an attempt to offer a more integrated vision of psychotherapy, the macrosystemic model introduces an overarching theoretical framewo rk that unites the systems thinking of Gregory Bateson, and the cell t heory of Humberto Maturana, within Ken Wilber's structural hierarchy. The major theme of wholeness within contexts is explored in depth and is shown to be structurally similar to emerging themes in modem scienc e. Similar to other nested and multilevel approaches, the macrosystemi c model explores the part-to-whole relationship but concludes that the individual, not the family, is the key component in the system. The m acrosystemic model of psychotherapy suggests that it takes an autonomo us action to change a system and offers two approaches to therapy that are consistent with this premise. The first approach deals with the p aradox of autonomy and attachment, and is advanced by the second appro ach, which emphasizes the establishment of a personal belief system to promote autonomy. Thus, direct change through conscious intention on a personal level is the primary focus of the macrosystemic model of ps ychotherapy.