Families' experience of harmony and disharmony in systemic psychotherapy and its effects on family life

• Published in: Journal of family therapy 2011-08, Vol.33 (3), p.302-331
• Main Authors: Yap, Patricia Michelle Eng Hui, Tan, Boon Huat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: family harmony; Family life; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Psychotherapy; Relatives; Sociocultural factors; socio‐cultural systems; systemic psychotherapy; Therapists; values
• ISSN: 0163-4445; 1467-6427
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6427.2011.00543.x

Family harmony is highly valued by Asian families. This qualitative study sets out to explore the contribution that harmony makes to therapy. Four Singaporean Chinese family members, a mother and daughter from one family, and a sister and brother from another, were interviewed about harmony and disharmony. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to make sense of the in‐depth interviews. The results suggested that family harmony was important and was defined as harmonious co‐existence in family life. Systemic psychotherapy sessions successfully influenced the family members' experience of harmony and disharmony with other members and contributed to harmony in therapy and family life. Lastly, the participants detailed the links between harmony or disharmony and systems at the individual, family and sociocultural levels. The findings highlight the fact that therapists who work with families of Asian origin need to understand how harmony is perceived by them. Asking reflexive questions from an authoritative position that is respectful of clients is recommended to contribute to self‐healing in disharmonious families. Furthermore, therapists may wish to use aspects of individual, family and sociocultural systems that can contribute to family harmony.