About the Talk
Systems approaches to psychotherapy acknowledge the importance of bio-psycho-social factors in treating psychological difficulties. Distinct from models of individual therapy, systems based approaches do not see psychological problems as arising solely within individuals. Instead, individual problems are seen as arising within a relational context, influenced by and influencing a range of contextual and cultural factors.
Systems approaches to psychotherapy recognise that a person is a complex, dynamic “whole”, shaped by and shaping larger systems such as the family and community of which s/he is part. At the individual level, persons are composed of interconnected components such as thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and physiological processes. Each of these elements influences and is influenced by others, that is, cognitive, emotional, and biological systems continually interact, shaping responses to internal and external stimuli. Additionally, the individual’s internal system is embedded within larger social and environmental systems—family, culture, community—which also affect and are affected by personal dynamics. At the family level, individuals influence and are influenced by each other, as well as the larger culture and community of which they are part.
From this viewpoint, then, psychological issues are understood as emergent properties of interacting subsystems rather than isolated, malfunctioning parts. Early applications of systems ideas broadened the focus of therapy to include multiple family members. Most of the early innovators in the field were psychiatrists who found that broadening their approach to treating whole families offered them a better understanding of what was going on with the individuals they were treating and provided new avenues for promoting change and improvement. Similarly, conjoint treatment for marital partners was also seen as more effective in bringing about change in couple relationships. Currently, there are many models of couple and family therapy that utilise systems principles in a variety of ways offering practitioners a wide range of approaches and interventions to work with. In this talk, I aim to provide a brief overview of the key concepts that underlie systems approaches and their relevance in multiple cultural contexts.

About the Speaker
Dr Chitra Subrahmanian is an Educator and Psychotherapist based in Geneva, Switzerland. Originally from India, she holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology and English Literature from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. She earned her Master’s in Counselor Education from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, USA and a PhD in Child Development & Family Studies with a focus on Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University, Indiana, USA. Following her training in the United States, Dr Subrahmanian founded and ran an NGO in Mumbai, India providing Counseling and support services for people affected by HIV/AIDS. Since 2001, she has been Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Webster University Geneva. She also practices psychotherapy from a systems perspective and has extensive experience working with Individuals,Couples and Families from diverse cultures and nationalities.

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