Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy (May 19, 1920 – January 28, 2007) was a Hungarian-American

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...

and one of the founders of the field of

family therapy Family therapy (also referred to as family counseling, family systems therapy, marriage and family therapy, couple and family therapy) is a branch of psychology and clinical social work that works with families and couples in intimate relation ...

. Born Iván Nagy, his family name was changed to Böszörményi-Nagy during his childhood. He emigrated from Hungary to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

in 1950, and he simplified his name to Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy at the time of his naturalization as a US citizen.

Contextual therapy

Boszormenyi-Nagy is best known for developing the ''Contextual'' approach to

and individual

psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...

. It is a comprehensive model which integrates ''individual psychological'', ''interpersonal'',

existential Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and valu ...

systemic Systemic fundamental to a predominant social, economic, or political practice. This refers to: In medicine In medicine, ''systemic'' means affecting the whole body, or at least multiple organ systems. It is in contrast with ''topical'' or ''loc ...

, and ''intergenerational'' dimensions of individual and

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

life and development. The contextual model, in its most well-known formulation, proposes four dimensions of relational reality, both as a guide for conducting therapy and for conceptualizing relational reality in general: # Facts (e.g., genetic input, physical health,

ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established fo ...

cultural Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.T ...

background,

socioeconomic status Socioeconomic status (SES) is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a person's work experience and of an individual's or family's economic access to resources and social position in relation to others. When analyzing a family's ...

, basic historical facts, events in a person's life cycle, etc) # Individual psychology (the domain of most individual psychotherapies) # Systemic transactions (the domain covered by classical systemic family therapy: e.g., rules, power, alignments, triangles, feedback, etc) # Relational ethics. These dimensions are taken to be inter-linked, but not equatable or reducible to one another.Le Goff, J.F. (2001). Boszormenyi-Nagy and Contextual Therapy: An Overview
''ANZJFT'', 22 (3)
: 147–157. The contextual model proposes ''relational ethics''—the

ethical Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns ma ...

or "

justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

" dimension of close relationships—as an overarching integrative conceptual and methodological principle. Relational ethics focuses in particular on the nature and roles of ''connectedness'', ''caring'', reciprocity,

loyalty Loyalty, in general use, is a devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another ...

, ''legacy'', guilt, fairness,

accountability Accountability, in terms of ethics and governance, is equated with answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and the expectation of account-giving. As in an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in the pub ...

, and

trustworthiness Trust is the willingness of one party (the trustor) to become vulnerable to another party (the trustee) on the presumption that the trustee will act in ways that benefit the trustor. In addition, the trustor does not have control over the acti ...

- within and between

generations A generation is "all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively." Generation or generations may also refer to: Science and technology * Generation (particle physics), a division of the elementary particles * Gen ...

. It is taken to represent not just a set of prescriptive norms, nor simply

psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries bet ...

phenomena, perspectives, or constructions. Rather, relational ethics is seen as (1) having some objective ontological and

experiential Experience refers to conscious events in general, more specifically to perceptions, or to the practical knowledge and familiarity that is produced by these conscious processes. Understood as a conscious event in the widest sense, experience invol ...

basis by virtue of being derived from basic

needs A need is dissatisfaction at a point of time and in a given context. Needs are distinguished from wants. In the case of a need, a deficiency causes a clear adverse outcome: a dysfunction or death. In other words, a need is something required for ...

and from real relationships that have concrete consequences (i.e., as distinct from abstract or "value" ethics); and (2) as being significant explanatory and

motivational Motivation is the reason for which humans and other animals initiate, continue, or terminate a behavior at a given time. Motivational states are commonly understood as forces acting within the agent that create a disposition to engage in goal-dire ...

dynamics operating - in both beneficial and destructive ways - in individuals, families, social groups, and broader

society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Soc ...

. The construct validity and significance of relational ethics in clinical and educational contexts have been supported by a number of studies. (See also '' Relational ethics''.) In a later formulation of the contextual model, Boszormenyi-Nagy proposed a fifth dimension - the ''ontic dimension'' - which was implicit in the earlier formulations, but which considers more explicitly the nature of the interconnection between people that allows an individual to exist decisively as a ''person'', and not just a ''self''. ''(See also

Intersubjectivity In philosophy, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, intersubjectivity is the relation or intersection between people's cognitive perspectives. Definition is a term coined by social scientists to refer to a variety of types of human interac ...

and Philosophy of dialogue.)''

Methodology

''Multidirected partiality'' is the main methodological principle of contextual therapy. Its aim is to evoke a

dialogue Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American and British English spelling differences, American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literature, literary and theatrical form that depicts suc ...

of responsible mutual position-taking among family members. It consists of a sequential, empathic turning towards member after member (even absent members), in which both acknowledgement and expectation are directed at them. It is an alternative to the more common 'neutrality' or unilateral

partiality Impartiality (also called evenhandedness or fair-mindedness) is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another ...

of other approaches. It requires an appreciation of the 'ledger' from each person's point of view, even that of the current victimizer. For example, a family comes into therapy desiring to fix their son's outbursts and oppositional defiant behavior. The therapist (and possibly a co-therapist where appropriate) would first seek basic information (including any relevant clinical or medical information), construct a genogram if possible, and have each family member explain their side of the story (either conjointly or in individual sessions as appropriate), in order to begin to understand the problem in terms of background facts, the relational context (i.e., ''intergenerational'', ''interpersonal'', and

), and deeper

factors (e.g., psychological processes, hidden ''loyalties'' and ''legacies'', ''ledger'' imbalances, ''destructive entitlement'' resulting from real or perceived injustices, '' scapegoating'', ''

parentification Parentification or parent–child role reversal is the process of role reversal whereby a child or adolescent is obliged to act as parent to their own parent or sibling. Two distinct types of parentification have been identified technically: inst ...

'' of the child, etc.), and not simply (as is commonly done in some other approaches) in terms of the '

behaviour Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as wel ...

', ' systemic interactions', ' cognitions', or '

narratives A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional ( memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller, novel, etc.). Nar ...

' of the family and the son. Having gained this preliminary understanding of the situation, the therapist would firstly address any issues requiring urgent attention (e.g., physical welfare, prevention of violence, etc.), especially in relation to the interests of the most vulnerable member(s), whether or not they are present at the therapy sessions. The therapist would then go further, carefully and sequentially 'taking the side' of each member (while seeking to maintain overall balance, but not 'joining' the family as occurs, for example, in structural therapy), the aim being to begin a genuine dialogue of mutual accountability, to reduce the reliance on dysfunctional acting-out, and to find resources (e.g., hope,

will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and wi ...

) for rebuilding relationships through mutual acknowledgement of both entitlements and obligations, shifts in attitude and intention (but not 'relabeling' as in

strategic Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art ...

or constructivist approaches), fair

exoneration Exoneration occurs when the conviction for a crime is reversed, either through demonstration of innocence, a flaw in the conviction, or otherwise. Attempts to exonerate convicts are particularly controversial in death penalty cases, especially w ...

, and redemptive or ''rejunctive'' (i.e., 'trust-building') actions, that will in turn build individual and relational maturity and integrity (i.e., ''self-validation'' and ''self-delineation'' - contextual counterparts of Bowen's ''differentiation''), and ''trustworthiness'', which contextual therapists see as the ultimate relational resource for individual and family well-being. The approach would be adapted - although the basic principles would remain the same - according to the particular case; for example: adults having problems with their siblings or elderly parents; couples issues; conflicts associated with

blended families A stepfamily is a family where at least one parent has children that are not biologically related to their spouse. Either parent, or both, may have children from previous relationships or marriages. Two known classifications for stepfamilies i ...

adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, fro ...

fostering Fosterage, the practice of a family bringing up a child not their own, differs from adoption in that the child's parents, not the foster-parents, remain the acknowledged parents. In many modern western societies foster care can be organised by th ...

, gamete donation and

surrogacy Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to delivery/labour for another person or people, who will become the child's parent(s) after birth. People may seek a surrogacy arrangement when pregna ...

;

migration Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

and cross-cultural issues; different

mental disorder A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use o ...

and

substance abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...

;

criminal behavior In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Can ...

domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for '' intimate partn ...

, and so on. The contextual approach allows for the inclusion of many significant aspects of other approaches to psychotherapy and family therapy, provided that they are consistent with the overarching contextual principle of multilateral therapeutic ethical concern and accountability.Boszormenyi-Nagy, I., Grunebaum, J., & Ulrich, D. (1991). Contextual Therapy. In A. Gurman & D. Kniskern (Eds.
''Handbook of Family Therapy, Vol 2.''
New York: Brunner/Mazel.

Bibliography

*Boszormenyi-Nagy, I., & Framo, J. (Eds.) (1965; 1985)
''Intensive family therapy: Theoretical and practical aspects.''
New York: Harper & Row. (Second edition, New York: Brunner/Mazel) *Boszormenyi-Nagy, I., & Spark, G. (1973; 1984)
''Invisible loyalties: Reciprocity in intergenerational family therapy.''
New York: Harper & Row. (Second edition, New York: Brunner/Mazel) *Boszormenyi-Nagy, I., & Krasner, B. (1986)
''Between give and take: A clinical guide to contextual therapy.''
New York: Brunner/Mazel. *Boszormenyi-Nagy, I. (1987)
''Foundations of contextual therapy: Collected papers of Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, MD.''
New York: Brunner/Mazel. *Boszormenyi-Nagy, I., Grunebaum, J., & Ulrich, D. (1991). Contextual Therapy. In A. Gurman & D. Kniskern (Eds.
''Handbook of Family Therapy, Vol 2.''
New York: Brunner/Mazel.

References

External links

from Allyn and Bacon/Longman publishing
Interview with Psychology Today on Destructive Entitlement

Are trustworthiness and fairness enough? Contextual family therapy and the good family

Boszormenyi-Nagy's response to 'Are trustworthiness and fairness enough?'

Contextual Therapy with Multiple Personality Disorder

Video excerpt: Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy on the ethics of optimism, constructive entitlement, the welfare of posterity

Conference video: Dr Catherine Ducommun-Nagy, Brussels, Nov. 2006 (in French)

Conference video: Catherine Ducommun-Nagy, colloque CITFA Les loyautés (avril 2012) (in French)

Video excerpt: 2014 congres Loyaalleven Nederland, Peter Goldenthal on Multi-directed partiality

Video excerpt: 2014 congres Loyaalleven Nederland Barbara Krasner on Loyalty and loyalty dynamics

* [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&p_theme=pi&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=boszormenyi-nagy&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(boszormenyi-nagy)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no Obituary: Philadelphia Daily News]
Memoriam
an
Profile
at EFTA by Tamás Kurimay M.D., Ph.D.
In Remembrance of Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy M.D., by Margaret Cotroneo: ''Family Process'', Jun 2007.

Homage by Marlene F. Watson, Drexel University; July 2007.

Facebook page for Contextual Therapy / Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boszormenyi-Nagy, Ivan American psychiatrists Hungarian psychiatrists American psychotherapists Family therapists Existential therapists Relational ethics Hungarian emigrants to the United States Physicians from Budapest 1920 births 2007 deaths

Contextual therapy

Methodology

Bibliography

See also

References

Further reading

External links