AESTHETICS AND PRAGMATICS OF FAMILY THERAPY REVISITED

Abstract

After reacting specifically to Simon's (1992) proposal for the integration of first and second‐order therapies, I note how he, as well as Anderson and Goolihian (1988, 1990), focus primarily on deliberate, intentional ways to promote a respectful stance in therapy. Although a consideration of which intentional stances and strategies will promote the most helpful conversations in therapy is important, an even more critial question concerns the possible limitations of intentional efforts and the relation of conscious mind to other natural orders of mind in the living world. I suggest that deliberate efforts on the part of theapists toward any intended therapeutic outcomes must be comlemented by instictive and intuitive ways of participating with clients.