{"id":3581,"date":"2025-12-05T11:52:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T10:52:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/blog\/systemic-psychotherapy-what-is-it-and-when-is-it-used\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T15:02:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:02:02","slug":"systemic-psychotherapy-what-is-it-and-when-is-it-used","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/blog\/systemic-psychotherapy-what-is-it-and-when-is-it-used\/","title":{"rendered":"Systemic psychotherapy \u2013 what is it and when is it used?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Systemic psychotherapy focuses on understanding the systems, i.e. structures created by people and the relationships between them. It analyses how the individual elements of the system affect each other and what effects these mutual interactions have. This approach can be used both in working with a family or a couple, as well as in individual psychotherapy.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>What is systemic psychotherapy?<\/h2>\n\n<p>The systems approach assumes that each element of the system affects the others.  <strong>The most important are the relationships between people and the way they communicate.<\/strong>  Through mutual interactions, the system seeks to maintain balance. However, this does not always mean the well-being of all its members. Sometimes the balance of the system can lead to difficulties in one person, which can manifest themselves, for example, in mental or health problems.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-image stk-block-image stk-block stk-9439797\" data-block-id=\"9439797\"><style>.stk-9439797 .stk-img-wrapper img{border-radius:var(--stk--preset--border-radius--large, 16px) !important;}<\/style><figure><span class=\"stk-img-wrapper stk-image--shape-stretch\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"stk-img wp-image-2963\" src=\"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Psychoterpia-systemowa.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" alt=\"Systemic psychotherapy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Psychoterpia-systemowa.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Psychoterpia-systemowa-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Psychoterpia-systemowa-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Psychoterpia-systemowa-768x403.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/span><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p>Each family builds its system in a different way. The differences concern m.in:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>dependencies between family members,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>boundaries between them,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>expectations towards oneself,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the way of understanding relationships,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>communication style.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p><strong>Families also pass on certain patterns and experiences from generation to generation.  <\/strong>Such a transgenerational message allows us to notice repeated patterns of behavior, attitudes or family histories.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-stackable-image stk-block-image stk-block stk-dfd3d58\" data-block-id=\"dfd3d58\"><figure><span class=\"stk-img-wrapper stk-image--shape-stretch\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"stk-img wp-image-2962\" src=\"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Psychoterapia-systemowa-&#x2013;-co-to-jest-i-kiedy-sie-ja-stosuje.jpg\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" alt=\"Systemic psychotherapy &#x2013; what it is and when it is used\"\/><\/span><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p>As part of this message, the so-called family myths. These are beliefs that have arisen on the basis of the experience and observations of subsequent generations. They are often treated as obvious rules of family functioning.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>What is systemic psychotherapy?<\/h2>\n\n<p>An important role in therapeutic work is played by <strong>conversation based on questions, joint hypothesis building<\/strong> and attempts to understand the stories told by patients. A therapist helps you organize these experiences and look at them from different perspectives, while leaving room for change.<\/p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/systemic-psychotherapy\/\">Systemic psychotherapy<\/a> uses various therapeutic approaches and techniques. We can reach for elements of gestalt therapy, tasks known from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or art therapy techniques. A psychodynamic perspective can also be helpful in understanding mental difficulties. In practice, this means a flexible approach, tailored to the patient&#8217;s needs.<\/p>\n\n<p>In systemic therapy, it is also important to know about violence and its effects. The therapist draws attention to its possible forms in relationships and to ways of prevention. We also often use psychoeducation, i.e. explaining psychological mechanisms, to better understand the patient&#8217;s experiences and situation.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>Applications of Systemic Therapy<\/h2>\n\n<p>Systemic psychotherapy is used in working with an individual, a couple or the whole family.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>Systemic psychotherapy for families<\/h3>\n\n<p>Family therapy is often used in situations where the difficulties of one person are related to the functioning of the whole family. This may apply to m.in. problems such as schizophrenia, eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia), personality disorders, depression, suicide attempts or anxiety disorders.<\/p>\n\n<p>Sometimes symptoms appear in children or teenagers. In the systemic approach, we treat them as a signal that there are tensions or difficulties in the family system that require attention.<\/p>\n\n<p>During therapy, we take into account many elements of family functioning:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the roles of its members,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the method of communication,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>responsibility,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the nature of the relationship,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>possible areas of violence or imbalance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>It is also important whether young adults can gradually build independence and leave the family nest.<\/p>\n\n<p>One of the tools of a therapist&#8217;s work is a genogram. It is a <strong>graphic representation of the family tree<\/strong> from a therapeutic perspective. It contains special symbols and helps you see relationships, recurring patterns, and important events in your family&#8217;s history. A genogram can be both a source of information and a form of therapeutic intervention.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>Systemic psychotherapy for couples<\/h3>\n\n<p>In couples therapy, the system is less extensive, because two people are directly involved in it. At the same time, <strong>we continue to consider the impact of previous family experiences<\/strong> and other important relationships.<\/p>\n\n<p>The therapist helps the couple understand what mechanisms appear in their relationship. We analyze m.in.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the method of communication,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>mutual reactions of partners,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how the couple tries to maintain balance in the relationship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>It is also important to take into account the stages of relationship development and the changes that occur over time.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>Individual systemic psychotherapy<\/h3>\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/individual-psychotherapy-for-adults-online-psychological-therapy\/\">individual psychotherapy<\/a> , the systemic approach is often similar to insight-support therapy. The therapist helps to understand the patient&#8217;s experiences in the context of their relationships and environment.<\/p>\n\n<p>We also use other therapeutic methods. It is important to think systemically, i.e. <strong>taking into account the influence of relationships and social context<\/strong>on the functioning of a given person. We also pay a lot of attention to psychological boundaries and the way we communicate our needs.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a>Summary: the goals of systemic psychotherapy and its role in my practice<\/h2>\n\n<p>Systemic psychotherapy was created as a development of earlier streams of psychotherapy and has been developing dynamically to this day. Its goal is to better understand the relationships between people and the mechanisms that affect the functioning of entire systems \u2013 families, couples and other important relationships.<\/p>\n\n<p>The basic elements for systemic psychotherapy are also the basis in my work. In my therapeutic practice, I combine a systemic approach with taking into account the cultural, worldview and social context. Environmental factors and individual strategies for coping with difficulties that are formed in a given relationship system are also important to me.<\/p>\n\n<p>You can read more about my method in the article: <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/about-ipsk-psychotherapy-by-paulina-kubs\/\">About Psychotherapy with the IPSK Method by Paulina Kub\u015b<\/a><\/u>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<p>I cordially invite you<\/p>\n\n<p>Paulina Kub\u015b, MA<\/p>\n\n<p>Interventional Systemic-Cultural Psychotherapy Clinic<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Systemic psychotherapy focuses on understanding the systems, i.e. structures created by people and the relationships between them. It analyses how the individual elements of the system affect each other and what effects these mutual interactions have. This approach can be used both in working with a family or a couple, as well as in individual [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3337,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"kategoria-bloga":[],"tagi-bloga":[],"class_list":["post-3581","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","pmpro-has-access"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/3581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3581"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/3581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3584,"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/3581\/revisions\/3584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"kategoria-bloga","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kategoria-bloga?post=3581"},{"taxonomy":"tagi-bloga","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psychotherapy-ipsk.com.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tagi-bloga?post=3581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}