Virginia Satir

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Virginia Satir
Born	26 June 1916
Died	10 September 1988
Occupation	psychotherapist

Virginia Satir (26 June 1916 - 10 September 1988) was a noted American author and psychotherapist, known especially for her approach to family therapy. Her most well-known books are Conjoint Family Therapy, 1964, Peoplemaking, 1972, and The New Peoplemaking, 1988.

Contents 1 Biographical information 2 Professional work history 3 Major Accomplishments and contributions 4 See also 5 External links 6 Bibliography

[edit] Biographical information

Education/Training

• 1936 BA, Education, Milwaukee State Teachers College
• 1948 MA, University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration
• 1978 Awarded an honorary doctorate in Social Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison

She was awarded several other honorary doctorates including one by the Professional School of Psychological Studies, 1986.

[edit] Professional work history

See page 19, biography of Virginia Satir by Margarita Suarez, Avanta

[edit] Major Accomplishments and contributions

• 1936-41 Teacher and principal in public schools after receiving her bachelor' s degree in education (Taught in schools at Williams Bay, Wisconsin; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Shreveport, Louisiana; St. Louis, Missouri; and Miami, Florida.)
• 1951 Works with her first family in Chicago and is one of the pioneers in beginning family therapy.
• 1959 Co-founds with Psychiatrist, DonJackson, the Mental Research Institute, Menlo Park, CA. to train family therapists.
• 1961 Makes her first European presentation on family therapy in Vienna, Austria.
• 1964 First Director of Training, Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California.
• 1964 Book, Conjoint Family Therapy, was published.
• 1969 Founds International Human Learning Resources Network (IHLRN) which meets annually.
• 1972 Book, Peoplemaking, was published.
• 1976 First Annual Satir Family Camp, Pacific Palisades, California.
• 1977 Founds Avanta Network, an International training and Membership Organization.
• 1981 First Annual Avanta International Training Process Community, Park City, Utah. 1982 President of the Association for Humanistic Psychology.
• 1987 President of the First Family Therapy Symposium in Prague,
• 1987 Member, California Commission to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility. .
• 1988 Extensive training in family therapy in USSR.

Honors and Awards Received

• 1976 Awarded the Gold Medal of "Outstanding and Consistent Service to Mankind" by the University of Chicago.
• 1978 A warded an honorary doctorate in Social Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• 1982 Selected by the West German Government as one of the twelve most influential leaders in the world today.
• 1985 Time magazine quotes a colleague, "She can fill any auditorium in the country", after her stellar contribution to the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
• 1985 Selected by the prestigious National Academy of Practice as one of two members to advise on health concerns to the Congress of the United States.
• 1986 Selected as a member of the International Council of Elders, a society developed by the recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.
• 1987 Named Honorary Member of the Czechoslovakian Medical Society.

Describe in what ways the nominee's contributions have been of the greatest value for the development of the United States of America.

• In two national surveys of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists, she was voted the most influential therapist. (1 used to have the source for these two surveys, but cannot locate it).

Her entire work was done under the umbrella of "Becoming More Fully Human". From the possibility of a nurturing primary triad of father, mother, and child she conceived a process of Human Validation. She continually planted the seeds of hope toward world peace. As she said (Align, 1988, p. 20): "The family is a microcosm By knowing how to heal the family, 1 know how to heal the world". With this overview she established professional training groups in the Satir Model in the Middle East, the Orient, Western and Eastern Europe, Central and Latin America, and Russia. The Institute for International Connections, Avanta Network, and the International Human Learning Resources Network are concrete examples of teaching people how to connect with one another and then extend the connections. Her world impact could be summed up in her universal mantra: peace within, peace between, peace among.

Her work was extensively studied by Richard Bandler and John Grinder who used it as one of the three fundamental models of NLP. Together Bandler, Grinder and Satir wrote the book 'Changing With Families' for Science and Behavior Books, which bore the subtitle 'A Book About Further Education for Being Human'. AVANTA is an international organization that carries on her work and promotes her approach to family therapy.

[edit] See also

• Family systems therapy
• Conjoint family therapy

[edit] External links

• Brief biography at Avanta.net
• Brief biography at Webster University
• http://www.satirpacific.org/ Satir Institute of The Pacific to provide a broad educational context including classes, workshops and seminars
• Satir Ottawa
• Satir Institute of the Rockies Satir Model Training
• Changing with Families by Richard Bandler, John Grinder, and Virginia Satir
• Satir Systems
• Virginia Satir group to promote Virginia Satir's work in Europe started by Phil Stubbington
• Satir Institute of the Southeast The Key To Congruence: Learning Opportunities Through the Satir Institute of the Southeast, started by Jean McLendon
• Satirworks: Friends of Satir Satirworks is a site dedicated to conversations and work related to the late Virginia Satir.

[edit] Bibliography

• Satir, Virginia (1975). Self Esteem. Berkely, CA: Celestial Arts. ISBN 1-58761-094-9.
• Satir, Virginia (1976). Making Contact. Berkely, CA: Celestial Arts. ISBN 0-89087-119-1.
• Bandler, Richard, John Grinder & Virginia Satir (1976). Changing with Families: a book about further education for being human. Palo Alto, CA: Science & Behavior Books. ISBN 83140051X.
• Satir, Virginia (1978). Your Many Faces. Berkely, CA: Celestial Arts. ISBN 0-89087-120-5.
• Satir, Virginia, James Stachowiak & Harvey A Taschman (1982). Helping Families Change. New York, NY: Jason Aronson. ISBN 1-56821-227-5.
• Satir, Virginia (1983). Conjoint Family Therapy. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books. ISBN 0-8314-0063-3.
• Satir, Virginia, Michele Baldwin (1984). Satir Step by Step: A Guide to Creating Change in Families. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books. ISBN 0-8314-0068-4.
• Satir, Virginia (1988). New Peoplemaking. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books. ISBN 0-8314-0070-6.
• Satir, Virginia (1990). Peoplemaking. London, UK: Souvenir Press. ISBN 0-89087-119-1.
• Satir, Virginia, John Banmen, Jane Gerber & Maria Gomori (1991). Satir Model: Family Therapy and Beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books. ISBN 0-8314-0078-1.