Giorgio Nardone

Giorgio Nardone (* September 13, 1958 in Arezzo ) is an Italian psychologist and psychotherapist. In 1987 he founded together with Paul Watzlawick the Centro di Terapia Strategica ( Center for Strategic therapy) in Arezzo. He is a professor of art, the short-term therapy within the postgraduate training in Clinical Psychology at the University of Siena and the author of numerous writings that have been translated into several languages ​​and are devoted to the general public.

Stages of his work

Giorgio Nardone studied philosophy at the University of Siena, where he also received his doctorate. At this Institute, he led his research in connection with the investigation of the epistemology of clinical psychology and different models of therapy continued ( "Lo studio dell'epistemologia psicologia della clinica e dei vari modelli di psicoterapia ").

Nardone was very interested in the studies and theories of the School of Palo Alto, Palo Alto also called group. His particular focus was on the works of Paul Watzlawick, Don D. Jackson, Janet H. Beavin, John H. Weakland and the group of the Mental Research Institute ( MRI). In 1982 he makes an application for a scholarship and spent a year with the researchers at MRI, its recognition in the study of the mind and of the problem- not solving to a medical or psychiatric tradition was based, but the approach of logic, anthropology, philosophy, and the study of communication arose. Upon his return to Italy he specialized in psychology. He also spent several months a year in Palo Alto, where he started to adapt his knowledge acquired there to Italian standards.

During this time, his collaboration with Paul Watzlawick began. In 1987 they founded the Centro di Terapia Strategica ( the Italian Mental Research Institute ) in Arezzo, and two years later the school for strategic therapy. Together they developed the strategic brief therapy, which became a psychotherapeutic orientation. This form of therapy resulted from different approaches such as second-order cybernetics, the constructivist philosophy, systemic therapy, hypnotherapy, Milton Erickson, the strategic approach of the MRI in Palo Alto as well as the art of the stratagems of Ancient China. The innovative aspect of the strategic brief therapy consisted in the creation of specific treatment protocols for the different pathologies.

Therapeutic approach

His therapy approach to strategic brief therapy to describe Nardone for the first time in The Art of Change: Strategic Therapy and Hypnotherapy Without Trance (1990 ), which he co-authored with Paul Watzlawick ( the German edition appeared in 1994 in the Hans Huber Verlag under the title wrong turns, detours and ways ). The philosophical basis of this therapy is - as already mentioned - in the ( radical ) constructivism: It is here assumed that the man builds himself his reality and thus also determines the way in which this construct may be disturbed. The principle is as follows: Every person has its own system of perception of reality and react accordingly individually on this. The elaboration of this system of perception / response of the patient is one of the first steps in therapy.

As the systemic approach, is oriented strategic therapy on the here and now and not in the patient's past, as is the case with therapies psychodynamic orientation. One does not look for the supposed cause of the problem, since one assumes in this approach, that knowing neither the symptom nor the general problems revealed the patient fixes. In contrast, trying to figure out what the patient has developed so far to solve his problem. For these " attempted solutions " can be worked out, which prevents a change. For example, considering a person who suffers from agoraphobia, so is the solution of the problem, to close to the house and not to come before the door. The patient himself, no matter what symptoms he has now, which of course holds its own solution to be effective. Maybe she has also proven in the past times as effective or has simply helped him to avoid it, to tackle the problem. But by sticking to these inefficient solutions, he actually maintains the problem.

After the system perception / reaction of the person concerned as well as its solutions are developed, be it " duties " prescribed that must execute very conscientious of the patient. To be aware of its employees safe, to use in therapy, a suggestive language, inspired by the Hypnotherapy Milton Erickson.

The prescriptions or strategies like strange, bizarre or paradoxical appear, but these are never about anything immoral, dangerous or affiliated with costs. The idea, which is applied here, is the creation of a " corrective emotional experience ", as in 1946 by the psychoanalyst Franz Alexander in his book Psychoanalytic Therapy: Principles and Application is described ( Ronald Press). In short, the patient is treated by the application of the strategy prescribed only on an emotional, cognitive level then in a position to try a new and different reality than the one he had built up until then. This experience is the starting point for change and thus for the solution of his problem. It is not only cured the symptom, but it works up to the point at which the person develops a deeper change in the perception and therefore the reaction.

As the name " brief therapy " implies, the treatment time therapy is relatively short (less than 20 and an average of 7 sessions). With the exception of the second, which takes place at intervals of one week, find the dates of place in a 2 - week intervals. If the problem is already solved, follow follow-ups with one to two months apart. Each session has a pre-determined duration, which is in line 20-50 minutes. In any case, the therapy to the individual patient and its peculiarities is tailored.

The internal studies of the Centre occupy the therapy a success rate of 86%. Nevertheless, the most common criticism of this therapy is to produce that the strategic approach also was not superficial and exclusively symptomatologically and capable of a radical and lasting change.

Centro di Terapia Strategica - the Therapy Center

At the Centro di Terapia Stratecica, the Nardone founded with Paul Watzlawick, mental disorders are both treated as well explored. His imprint receives it mainly by Nardones empirical study of psychotherapy, in which he evaluates the different strategies of his approach after impact and effectiveness.

At the center is close about 100 practices in Italy and more in Europe, America and Australia. In addition to therapy, these practices make a further contribution to advance the research of the Centre.

Associazione Nardone - Watzlawick onlus - the Nardone - Watzlawick Society

2007 created the Associazione Nardone - Watzlawick ( Watzlawick the Nardone - Society), offers a means me headquarters in Arezzo, the free psychotherapeutic, rehabilitative and advisory services. Here work in strategic brief therapy trained psychologists, psychotherapists and counselors as a nonprofit.

Publications

• G. Nardone: Brief Strategic Therapy of Phobic Disorders: A model of Therapy and Evaluation Research, 1988, in propagation, JH Weakland - WA Ray Editor, The Haworth Press Inc., New York 1995.
• G. Nardone, Paul Watzlawick: The Art of Change: Strategic Therapy and Hypnotherapy Without Trance. Jossey - Bass, San Francisco, USA, 1990. Dt. Edition: wrong turns, detours and ways out. Hans Huber Verlag, Bern 1994. ISBN 3-456-82478-5.

• Dt. Issue: Systemic Brief Therapy with compulsions and phobias. Hans Huber Verlag, Bern 1997. ISBN 3-456-82864-0.

• Dt. Edition: Brief Therapy and reality. Piper, Munich / Zurich 1999, ISBN 3-492-23395-3; Unabridged Taschenbuchneuausgabe: Piper TB 7399, Munich / Zurich 2012, ISBN 978-3-492-27399-2.

• Dt. Issue: Systemic Brief Therapy with eating disorders. Hans Huber Publishers, Bern 2003, ISBN 3-456-83961-8.