Virginia Satir

One of Satir's work that has had lasting impacts on many fields is the Process of change model. This model illustrates how individuals go through change and how they can cope with such change to improve their relationship with each other.

 

The Process of Change Model is divided into four stages: old status quo, chaos, practice and integration, and new status quo.

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• In the first stage of change, the old status quo, Satir argued the individual is in a predictable environment. Status quo involves a set routine, fixed ideas about the world, and an established behavior. This stage is all about predictability and familiarity.

• The second stage of change is chaos. Individuals tend to resist change in anticipation of the chaos that it brings. Chaos, as described by Satir, occurs when the disruptive energy of a foreign element is introduced; something in the environment or in the individual changes. This change brings a sense of unfamiliarity and the previously stable routine can no longer be held. In the stage of chaos, there are many strong feelings like sadness, fear, confusion, stress, among others. Satir argues that in the change stage of chaos, therapists must help families and individuals navigate these emotions. Additionally, chaos is important because it brings out creativity in individuals to find solutions.

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• The third stage of change is practice and integration. In this stage new (transforming) energy promote ideas that are implemented and individuals are actively figuring out what works best. Like any other skill, it requires patience and practice before it can be fully integrated.

• The final stage of change is the new status quo. In this stage, the new energy, ideas, behaviors, and changes are not so new anymore. Individuals tend to acclimate to the change, figure out and integrate what works, and become better at their new skill.

Satir points out that this change process is not linear. On some occasions, individuals might have found a temporal coping skill or solution but if it doesn't bring the desired results, they might regress to the stage of chaos. For this reason, it is important that therapists are aware of this process to help guide their clients.