#876 Clinical Psychologist Dr. Keith Sutton on Working Systemically with Individuals, Couples and Families for Lasting Change
Dec 27, 2023
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Dr. Keith Sutton, a clinical psychologist with extensive experience working with individuals, couples, and families, discusses the importance of flexibility in systems theory, the impact of larger systems on individuals and families, and the influence of context on behaviors and actions. He also delves into the process of systemic therapy and working with families, highlighting the significance of preparation work, trust building, and addressing sensitive topics. This episode offers valuable insights into lasting change and therapeutic approaches.
Dr. Sutton integrates various therapeutic approaches to create lasting change in clients, challenging the separation of individual, couples, and family therapy.
He employs a tailored approach for each client, incorporating behaviorally focused interventions and transitioning to deeper work using cognitive-behavioral techniques, EMDR, and attachment-based therapy.
By considering larger systems and contexts, such as familial interactions and cultural factors, therapists can better understand and support their clients in a comprehensive and non-judgmental way.
Deep dives
Integration of multiple therapeutic approaches
Dr. Keith Sutton, a clinical psychologist, discusses his unique integration of various therapeutic approaches that focus on creating lasting change. He emphasizes the importance of shifting between individual therapy, couples therapy, and family therapy with the same clients, challenging the notion that these approaches should be separate. Dr. Sutton shares examples of how he combines behavioral interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), emotionally focused therapy (EFT), exposure therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to address different client needs. By taking a systemic perspective, he aims to create small changes in different areas of a client's life, leading to significant and long-lasting transformation.
The five phases of therapy
Dr. Sutton outlines the five phases of therapy that he employs in his practice. These phases include assessing the situation, achieving first-order change (e.g., reducing symptoms, increasing functionality), attaining second-order change (e.g., changing the system to prevent regression), maintaining progress, and facilitating relapse prevention. He explains that his approach is tailored to each client, incorporating behaviorally focused interventions in the early stages and then transitioning to deeper work using cognitive-behavioral techniques, EMDR, and attachment-based therapy. Dr. Sutton underscores the importance of creating an alliance with clients and developing strong therapeutic relationships with both individuals and their families.
Working with oppositional kids and internalizing issues
Dr. Sutton discusses his four-stage approach for working with oppositional kids and individuals with internalizing issues such as anxiety and depression. He emphasizes the significance of understanding the underlying motivation behind oppositional behavior and ensuring parents play a role in therapy. Using behavioral interventions, psychoeducation, and relationship-building techniques, Dr. Sutton empowers parents to establish structure and support, leading to improved communication and emotional connection. In the case of internalizing issues, he emphasizes the importance of helping parents understand and support their children's emotional experiences. Dr. Sutton combines cognitive-behavioral techniques, exposure therapy, and EMDR to address these challenges, aiming to facilitate deep and lasting change in individuals and families.
Using Attachment Theory in Couples Therapy
Dr. Keith Sutton discusses the application of attachment theory in couples therapy. He highlights the importance of open communication and emotional connection in relationships, drawing on his personal experience of getting into a new relationship later in life. By helping couples identify their communication patterns and addressing their attachment needs, therapy can effectively improve their relationship dynamics.
Considering Systems and Context in Therapy
Dr. Keith Sutton emphasizes the significance of considering larger systems and contexts in therapy. He acknowledges the impact of cultural, societal, and political factors on individuals and families. By taking into account various levels of systems, such as familial interactions, relationships with institutions, culture, and trauma, therapists can better understand and support their clients. This systemic perspective allows for a more comprehensive and less judgmental approach to therapy.
W. Keith Sutton, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and director of the Institute for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. He has been working with children, adolescents and their families since 1998 in teens shelters, a residential treatment program, a wilderness program, drug and alcohol outpatient program, schools, community clinics, an in-home therapy program, and in private practice. Dr. Sutton is trained in Narrative Family Therapy, Brief Strategic Family Therapy, Family Based Therapy for Anorexia, Attachment Based Family Therapy, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy, Strategic Family Therapy, MRI Model of Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Parenting with Love and Limits, and Behavioral Parent Therapy. Dr. Sutton was on the Strategic Family Therapy team at the Mental Research Institute, and currently teaches and supervises therapists and therapists in training in family therapy through his Institute for the Advancement of Psychotherapy and it’s associated nonprofit, Bay Area Community Counseling. He and his colleague, James Keim, LCSW, have developed their integrative, transdiagnostic four stage approach to working with families called Evolving Structural-Strategic Family Therapy (ESSFT).
Private Practice with offices in San Francisco & Corte Madera and available via Zoom throughout California
https://www.facebook.com/drkeithsutton/ You can begin your web crawl by going to his website at drkeithsutton.com, Director of the Institute for the Advancement of Psychotherapy
Director of Bay Area Community Counseling (BACC) a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Director of the Family Institute of Berkeley
Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) Supervisor
Past President of the Association of Family Therapists of Northern California
Founder of Bay Area Therapists Specializing in Adolescents
Host of the podcast Therapy On The Cutting Edge
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