One of the most well known family therapist of the twentieth century, Virginia Satir’s (1916 – 1988) humanistic and communication approach to working with couples and families gave her great notorieity. Through her writings, in such books as Conjoint Family Therapy and Peoplemaking, she popularized a number of concepts including common communication styles in individuals, such as “the blamer,” “the plactor,” “the computer,” “the disctrator,” and “the leveler.” She also popularized the technique of “family sculpting” which had family members stand in the manner that they tend to act in the family (e.g., a dominating husband stands on a chair with his hands out over the rest of the family while the wife looks down at the floor). She had an uncanny ability to help all family members communicate with one another while she helped them build their self-esteem.

Senator John Vasconcellos, who represented the ‘The Heart of Silicon Valley’ in the California Legislature for 38 years, tells some of his experiences with Virginia Satir

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