Name of the Concept
Homeostasis
Synonyms
Introduction
The field of family therapy has often used the term homeostasis as a scientific term to describe what happens in between relationships, as well as how they are maintained, for better or for worse. It is a term that is associated with family systems theory and originated with MRI brief family therapy and associated with concepts from strategic, structural, and Bowen family therapies, though there is application to all family therapy theories (Minnuchin and Fishman 1981). The term homeostasis is derived from the early works of French physiologists Claude Bernard and Walter Cannon; their works have shaped much of the scientific, medical/psychiatric, and mental health communities in connection with the mind and body (Davies 2016).
More specifically, homeostasis references a state of balance* and equilibrium* and/or consistency (Davies 2016). Don Jackson, a key figure in the field of family therapy wrote:...
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References
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Seshadri, G. (2019). Homeostasis in Family Systems Theory. In: Lebow, J., Chambers, A., Breunlin, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_267-1
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