Systemic Thinking in Couple and Family Psychology Research and Practice

Systemic thinking is central to the specialty of couple and family psychology (CFP). Eleven applications of systemic thinking (perceptual and cognitive structuring processes) are described to characterize the way couple and family psychologists think about research and practice. The application of systemic thinking to research is described in light of dynamic systems conceptualization and a systemic research approach that delineates six steps that identify collective variables, characterize attractor states, describe dynamic trajectories, identify points of transition, recognize control parameters, and manipulate control parameters to identify core mechanisms of change is rehearsed and detailed. Systemic thinking is applied to professional practice in CFP, recognizing that psychotherapy with multiple individuals concurrently in couple or family formats presents particular challenges. Critical elements of therapeutic process in the specialty, including the therapeutic alliance, assessment and case conceptualization, the understanding of change in systems, and treatment interventions are described in light of systemic thinking and thoughts about professional supervision in the specialty are presented.