by Scott D. Miller, Mark A. Hubble, and Barry L. Duncan

About the authors: Scott D. Miller, Mark A. Hubble, and Barry L. Duncan are associates at the Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change in Chicago, Illinois.

Some time ago, the authors of this article conducted a little experiment. We showed to a group of therapists who had come to our center for training, a videotape of a family we had interviewed. Following the videotape, we asked the therapists to use their skills to describe what they had observed. They quickly began describing the family and its various members.

The mother, the therapists agreed, was obviously an “angry and controlling woman” who was frustrated with her marriage and overwhelmed by her child- rearing responsibilities. Several group members pointed out, however, that the...