About this Issue

Welcome to our new readers. We appreciate your comments and suggestions, and please view some of these on the Satirworks website. Stephen Buckbee is doing a great job in hosting this site for all:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/satirworks/

                          Articles

This issue begins with Dr. John Banmen’s masterful work on Suicide Prevention Using the Satir Model. It was originally written for the Centre for Suicide Prevention and Research at the University of Hong Kong. “For Satir, suicidality is a mental and emotional process that must be addressed at a deep level, the level of unmet yearnings.” Dr. Banmen discusses several errors in suicide intervention and treatment, including several common myths and misconceptions. He presents the Satir Model’s process for change, and an effective interview method for therapists. It is reproduced here from Applications of the Satir Growth Model (ed. Dr. John Banmen, 2006). We thank the publisher- Avanta, the Virginia Satir Network for this reprint.

Our second article is Couple Congruence and Spirituality, Part II, by myself, Dr. Steve Bentheim. Virginia Satir’s particular genius was her focus on the “us-ness” between self and other in therapy and as a key factor in congruent couple relationships. The research involves an interview with two Christian Science practitioners who experience conjoint intuition as a couple. I greatly value their ability to articulate the “how” and “why” this is significant for them as a couple and in assisting others. The article begins with Virginia’s historic break with Salvador Minuchin over spirituality in the social sciences, and her support from Abraham Maslow, founder of Transpersonal Psychology. Comments can be sent to Satirworks, or to me directly at <sjeditor@shaw.ca>

Our third article is a long, action research study from Dr. Yang Pei of the National Taipei University in Taiwan. It is entitled From Caterpillar to Butterfly: Action Research Study of a Satir-Based Women’s Program in Taiwan. There are 24 women involved, and many are professionals who have grown up within the cultural contradictions of “modernization.” Part of the findings include self-growth from group interaction, acceptance of one's family of origin, and engaging with the authority issue. This is a helpful guide for others who are facilitating similar programs.

Dr. Yang Pei is one of our International Editors, and she welcomes your feedback at ypei@mail.ntpu.edu.tw.

Our INSIGHT piece is entitled “An Aboriginal Experience of Transformation” by Jack McDonald. Jack is part Mohawk, part Metis, a former Catholic seminarian and a leader in British Columbia’s aboriginal community. He has been drawn to the Satir Model because of its emphasis on spirituality in healing, and its respect for diversity in community. He welcomes your email at johnb-mcdonald@shaw.ca