Routledge Systems-Centred Theory and Practice: The Contribution of Yvonne Agazarian

Systems-centered therapy (SCT) brings an innovative approach to clinical practice. Developed by the author, SCT introduces a theory and set of methods that put systems ideas into practice. The collection of articles in this book illustrates the array of clinical applications in which SCT is now used. Each chapter introduces particular applications of SCT theory or methods with specific examples from practice that help the theory and methods come alive for the reader across a variety of clinical contexts. This book will be especially useful for therapists and clinical practitioners interested in sampling SCT, for those who learn best with clinical examples, and for anyone with a serious interest in learning the systems-centered approach. Review ..".[Yvonne's] subgrouping started out as a discovery: we are not at the center of our worlds. As group members, we are inevitably allied with others, embedded in subgroups of like-minded members. Groups are constantly shifting arrays of subgroups, [Yvonne] transforms this discovery into a method for working in groups. SCT pushes these largely unconscious alliances into the forefront, identifies them, and turns them into a way of communicating, and it becomes possible for a dialogue to occur among subgroup members that enlarges and clarifies the nature of what is going on within the group-as-a-whole. It is Yvonne Agazarian's triumph to have instituted such a radical change from our conventional assumptions through the work of SCT... we go beyond who we thought we were."--Ken Eisold, PhD, former President of the International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations and former Director of the organizational program "I have been observing Yvonne for more than two decades as she began to apply her systems concepts. I watched her work with volunteers as she demonstrated the concepts in demonstration groups, primarily at the American Group Psychotherapy Association conferences, once during a special weekend in New York, and most recently during two annual conferences held by the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute. As I recall in the early period, the most striking aspect of the experiences was the attendees' willingness to participate in a group that exposed them to a markedly different experience than the then dominant psychodynamic/analytic orientation."--Walter Stone, MD, former President "Yvonne and I have been friends for many years....We have often discussed our ideas about living human systems and the application of these ideas to the work of consultation and psychotherapy, especially group analytic therapy. I am pleased to acknowledge Yvonne's influence on my career and professional development."--Earl Hopper, PhD, former President of the International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes (IAGP) and Editor "Yvonne has been the most significant mentor I have had and the most influential of my life, and most importantly, there are many others who would say this as well. For Yvonne lives as she teaches, and builds the relational system with whomever she is relating. This may be her greater legacy to us all, to take up the call of membership and citizenship wherever we are, albeit with ourselves, our loved ones, our colleagues, our organizations, our countries and our world."--Susan Gantt, PhD, Director of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute and "This book, which introduces the clinical application of SCT, will certainly find a wide audience. Several books have been published on SCT over the years. In my view, this one is the best introduction, not only to the methods and techniques, but also to the theory. It is written in excellent pedagogical style and is full of examples. Those who have never experienced SCT will find it hard to resist signing up for a workshop or a group to try it out for themselves. For people with some experience of SCT, this book will provide the cognitive stru