Systems-centred practice and its theory are one of the most important developments in group psychology in the last forty years. In this book Yvonne Agazarian traces the evolution of her ideas and their application to create a meta-theory, the theory of living human systems. Autobiography of a Theory follows Agazarian as she thinks her way through different stages, creating a theoretical background for SAVI (System for Analyzing Verbal Interaction), which she developed with Anita Simon, developing a theory of the Invisible Group for the book she wrote with Richard Peters and expanding on existing group dynamics theories. With members of the General Systems Committee of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, she joined the challenge of formulating a systems theory for group and arrived at her theory of living human systems from which she derived the methods and techniques of systems-centred therapy for groups and individuals. This fascinating account of her professional life not only documents major developments in group analysis, but also shows how a theory is formulated from intellectual and personal contexts, and how a theory-based practice is generated.
Susan P. Gantt, Ph.D., CGP, ABPP, is the Director of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute, a psychologist in private practice in Atlanta, and a faculty member in the Emory University School of Medicine. Yvonne Agazarian, Ed.D., FAGPA, CGP developed a theory of living human systems and its systems-centered practice and founded the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute. She received the Group Psychologist of the year award from the American Psychological Association in 1997. As this book amply demonstrates, SCT has turned out to have powerful organizational applications. With its theory of living human systems rather than a separate theory of organizations or of organizational behavior, it uses concepts that easily map onto organizational life. It looks at systems as a whole but also in parts. It stresses the importance of understanding boundaries and contexts. It continually focuses on task, and, perhaps, most important of all, it offers a sophisticated understanding of roles, which includes work roles in organizations. It well may be, as more consultants working in organizations become more familiar with the concepts and methods SCT offers, the SCT approach will come to seem indispensable to the resolution of conflict. -Ken Eisold, Ph.D. Yvonne Agazarian has long been established as one of the major theoreticians within group and organizational psychology. In this book, she and Susan Gantt have gathered together enriching and stimulating papers within the SCT tradition with the aim of showing us how it works in practice. They have certainly succeeded. SCT is about creating a new culture in which both people and the aims of the organization are strengthened and supported. For those working with organizations, either as leaders or consultants, this book will prove to be a stimulating and reliable companion. -Christer Sandahl, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm
This illustrated book shows how "thinking" systems offer new ways of seeing people which can help us see and do things differently. The authors describe how a theory of living human systems was developed and even recently revised. This major revision led to a theory of the person-as-a-system and its role-systems map that helps us see which system in us and in others is running the show. The authors illustrate how life force energy fuels the hierarchy of living human systems and how theory and practice with role-systems can be useful in everyday life. They begin with describing how they have used the new illustrations as a map to locate the contexts of our roles. Using this map has also enabled the authors to identify the role-systems and explore the territory of ourselves and our groups in new ways that deepened our understanding of roles and role locks. This book illustrates systems-centered therapy and training (SCT) theory by offering a practical theory to guide group psychotherapists, leaders and consultants in working with group dynamics.
Susan P. Gantt, Ph.D., CGP, ABPP, is the Director of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute, a psychologist in private practice in Atlanta, and a faculty member in the Emory University School of Medicine. Yvonne Agazarian, Ed.D., FAGPA, CGP developed a theory of living human systems and its systems-centered practice and founded the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute. She received the Group Psychologist of the year award from the American Psychological Association in 1997. As this book amply demonstrates, SCT has turned out to have powerful organizational applications. With its theory of living human systems rather than a separate theory of organizations or of organizational behavior, it uses concepts that easily map onto organizational life. It looks at systems as a whole but also in parts. It stresses the importance of understanding boundaries and contexts. It continually focuses on task, and, perhaps, most important of all, it offers a sophisticated understanding of roles, which includes work roles in organizations. It well may be, as more consultants working in organizations become more familiar with the concepts and methods SCT offers, the SCT approach will come to seem indispensable to the resolution of conflict. -Ken Eisold, Ph.D. Yvonne Agazarian has long been established as one of the major theoreticians within group and organizational psychology. In this book, she and Susan Gantt have gathered together enriching and stimulating papers within the SCT tradition with the aim of showing us how it works in practice. They have certainly succeeded. SCT is about creating a new culture in which both people and the aims of the organization are strengthened and supported. For those working with organizations, either as leaders or consultants, this book will prove to be a stimulating and reliable companion. -Christer Sandahl, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm
This illustrated book shows how "thinking" systems offer new ways of seeing people which can help us see and do things differently. The authors describe how a theory of living human systems was developed and even recently revised. This major revision led to a theory of the person-as-a-system and its role-systems map that helps us see which system in us and in others is running the show. The authors illustrate how life force energy fuels the hierarchy of living human systems and how theory and practice with role-systems can be useful in everyday life. They begin with describing how they have used the new illustrations as a map to locate the contexts of our roles. Using this map has also enabled the authors to identify the role-systems and explore the territory of ourselves and our groups in new ways that deepened our understanding of roles and role locks. This book illustrates systems-centered therapy and training (SCT) theory by offering a practical theory to guide group psychotherapists, leaders and consultants in working with group dynamics.
Systems-centred practice and its theory are one of the most important developments in group psychology in the last forty years. In this book Yvonne Agazarian traces the evolution of her ideas and their application to create a meta-theory, the theory of living human systems. Autobiography of a Theory follows Agazarian as she thinks her way through different stages, creating a theoretical background for SAVI (System for Analyzing Verbal Interaction), which she developed with Anita Simon, developing a theory of the Invisible Group for the book she wrote with Richard Peters and expanding on existing group dynamics theories. With members of the General Systems Committee of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, she joined the challenge of formulating a systems theory for group and arrived at her theory of living human systems from which she derived the methods and techniques of systems-centred therapy for groups and individuals. This fascinating account of her professional life not only documents major developments in group analysis, but also shows how a theory is formulated from intellectual and personal contexts, and how a theory-based practice is generated.
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