Empowering People in Therapy - a s modeled by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Authors

  • Barbara Fishman Author
  • Robert Fishman Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12926/fjq1rd56

Keywords:

Wizard

Abstract

Empowering is a therapeutic process composed of five functions: Understanding the client's objectives, discovering implicit story lines, creating therapeutic goals, delivering empowering messages, and using appropriate therapeutic tools. These functions are interconnected so that every time one occurs the therapist receives information which then affects every other function. This paper also argues that the empowerment of others takes place in a process carefully designed so that the therapist can give the client whatever s(he) desperately wants, but by the time it is given, already has. The Wizard, in the story of Oz, is used as a model of the empowering therapist and his work provides the reader with examples of successful therapy.

References

Baum, F. The wizard of Oz. New York: Airmont Publishing Co., 1965.

Berger, P. & Luckmann, T. The social construction of reality. New York: Doubleday, 1967.

Berne, E. I'm OK, you're OK. New York: Avon Books, 1969.

Dell, P. F. Some irreverent thoughts on paradox. Family Process, 1981, 20, 37-51.

Farrelly, F. & Brandsma, J. Provocative therapy. San Francisco: Fields Publishing Co., 1974.

Grinder, J. & Bandier, R. The structure of magic I & JI. Palo Alto: Science and Behavior Books, 1976.

Haley, J. Strategies of psychotherapy. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1963.

Haley, J. Problem-solving therapy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1976.

Kopp. S. The Wizard of Oz behind the couch. Psychology Today, I 970, 3(10), 71-3, 84.

Wagner, H.R., ed. Alfred Schutz: On phenomenology and social relations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, I 970.

Watzlawick, P., Weakland, J. H., & Fisch, R. Change: Principles of problem formation and problem resolution. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1974.

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Published

2025-03-14

Issue

Vol. 36 No. 4 (1984): Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Sociometry

Section

Articles

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