The systemic‐family‐individual approach: The heritage and continuation of Mara Selvini Palazzoli's work in integrative psychotherapy

Abstract

AbstractSince the birth of family therapy, the Milan approach has been known as a foundational systemic model. Nevertheless, following the dissolution of the Milan group, Mara Selvini, alongside Matteo Selvini, Stefano Cirillo, and Anna Maria Sorrentino, began a new trajectory of clinical development, insufficiently examined within the American panorama. After her death, in 1999, the Selvini group continued to adapt and refine her systemic approach which is known today as the systemic‐family‐individual (SFI) approach. In this article, we delve into the constituents that constitute the SFI approach, elucidating how it furnishes therapists with a structured framework to guide clinical decision‐making and the application of integrated theoretical concepts. Ultimately, the article exemplifies the SFI approach's practical application via a clinical case study, showcasing its efficacious navigation.