How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching Families | Page 155

Interventive (reflexive) questions induce a family to reflect and therefore think and act in a new way
(Tomm, 19871). Although many kinds of questions have the potential for inducing new cognition, affect,
and behavior, all questions are not created equal!
Using the preceding family situation, consider the fallowing interventive developmental question, directed
to the parents of Susan: "If you decided to convince Susan that she was ready to leave home, how would
you go about it?"
"Neutrality,” the third principle of systemic assessments, refers to the ability of the therapist to respond
without judgment or blame to problems, change, persons, and various descriptions of relationships.
For example, if a family makes a connection between a developmental problem, such as a young adult's
reluctance to leave home, and their belief that it is due to the young adult's having a chronic illness, the
therapist would be as neutral as possible in his or her reactions to this description, but it does not mean that
the therapist has to accept this connection. The assessment information obtained through circular
questioning about the meaning and belief of developmental problems will greatly assist the therapist in
intervening. However, it must be emphasized chat it is necessary to intervene only if particular beliefs
interfere with or block the problem-solving efforts.
Family Development th &