Systemic therapy is based on the realization that our human existence is spent in relationships – to our original family, to our partners, our children, to colleagues, etc. These relationships form a kind of “system” – the communication and interactions within the system function according to the rules of a self-organizing dynamic.

Let’s take a family as an example. The dynamic in the family is influenced by the diverse mutual expectations, behaviors, comments, interpretations, acceptance, rejection, etc. After a certain amount of time the dynamic becomes stiffened, stuck in those patterns – each member of the family knows exactly how the other members will react in a certain situation. In order to create a new dynamic, someone must change his or her own behavior.

When a person has a life crisis or a conflict, it can be very revealing to illuminate the dynamic in all of his or her systems. This can result in completely new insights and possibilities for resolution.