Research

FOUNDING DIRECTOR AND SENIOR ARCHIVIST, THE DON D. JACKSON ARCHIVE OF SYSTEMIC LITERATURE  

Purpose: Assemble a comprehensive collection of published and unpublished writings, audio and film recordings of the principal founders of Communication / Interactional Theory and its application to understanding and promoting constructive change in human interaction. Collections include:

·        a comprehensive collection of audio/film/photographs/ published and unpublished printed documents of Don D. Jackson, MD, founder and first Director, Mental Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA;

·        Extensive collection of published and unpublished papers, audio and film recordings, and other documents from Gregory Bateson with special emphasis on materials from the ten year long series of Research Projects by Bateson and Team in Palo Alto, CA., during the 1950s;

·        Collections from the work of John Weakland, Paul Watzlawick; Richard Fisch of the MRI Brief Therapy Center

·        Collections from Bradford Keeney, Heinz von Foerster and other pioneers of cybernetic and social constructionst theory and a number of other related collections. 

Promulgating of the Interactional View set forth by Don Jackson and other members of the Palo Alto Group is a central function of the archive.  For further information about this research see the following selected publications:

            Ray, W. (2007). Newly available archives on systemic psychotherapy, Notes from the Field: Newsletter of the Institute for Intercultural Studies, Spring, 1 & 4.

Ray, W. (2008). Introduction and Abstract for publication of an original article by Don D. Jackson, (2008). The sick, the sad, the savage, & the sane, Family Systems, 8 (1), 50-51, 52-75.

Ray, W. (2005). The theory and therapy of Don D. Jackson, In Keizo Hasagawa (Ed.), The Pragmatics of Communication in Clinical Psychology, Vol. 2, pp. 50-58, Tokyo, Japan: Kaneko Shobo (Japanese).

Ray, W. (2004). Brief therapy with a couple in “alcoholic transaction” the Don D. Jackson way, Journal of Brief Therapy, 3 (1), 1-20.

Ray, W. & Dίaz, B. (2004). “Don’t Get Too Bloody Optimistic”: John Weakland at Work. In S. Green & D. Flemons (Eds.), Quickies – Handbook of Brief Sex Therapy. NY: W. W. Norton, pp. 213-249

Ray, W. (2001). “Rabid” and “rapid” psychotherapy on the jet propelled couch – Pivotal moments in the evolution of paradoxical prescription.  In J. Zeig, (Ed.), Changing Directives: The Strategic Psychotherapy of Jay Haley, pp. 29-41,  Phoenix, AZ: Zeig, Tucker & Theisen, Inc

Ray, W. (2000). Don D. Jackson – A re-introduction. (Followed by an original article) Jackson, D., Brief Psychotherapy, Journal of Systemic Therapies, 19 (2), 1-6, 7-22

Ray, W. (2000). The Interactional Approaches – A 75-Year Time-Line of Influential Contributors, The Brief Therapy Networker, 1 (2), 7.

Ray, W. (2000).  How to “Hear,” & “See” from Don D. Jackson’s Interactional perspective, The Brief Therapy Network, 1 (1), 5-7.

Ray, W., & Schlanger, K. (1999). The writings of John H. Weakland: A bibliography, in W. Ray & S. de Shazer & (Eds.). Evolving Brief Therapies: Essays in Honor of John H. Weakland. Iowa City, IA: Geist & Russell.

Ray, W. (1995). The interactional therapy of Don D. Jackson. In J. Weakland & W. Ray  (Eds.), Propagations: Thirty Years of Influence from the Mental Research Institute, pp. 37-70. NY: Haworth

Ray, W. (1995). Communication theory: A foundation of Marriage and Family Therapy. Res Scholaris, 1 (2),15-17.

Ray, W. (1992). Our future in the past: Lessons from Don Jackson for family therapy with hospitalized adolescents. Family Therapy, 19 (1), 61-72.

DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIONAL / COMMUNICATION THEORY

I have worked in collaboration with cybernetics theoretician Bradford P. Keeney, PhD., in the development of Resource Focused Therapy (RFT).  In an additional collaboration with psychiatrist Gianfranco Cecchin, MD, and family therapist Gerry Lane, MSW, we co-developed the theoretical premises of Systemic Irreverence, the Cybernetics of Prejudices, and Eccentricity. I have also been in collaboration with the late Communication / System theorist and social constructionist Paul Watzlawick in the further development of theory. For representative samples of publications produced from these research projects see:

Ray, W., & Keeney, B. (1993). Resource Focused Therapy. London, UK: Karnac.

Keeney, B. & Ray, W. (1996). Resource focused therapy. In M. Hoyt  (Ed.), Constructive Therapies Volume II. NY: Guilford, pp. 334-346

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (2006). Exzentrizität und Intoleranz: Eine systemische Kritik, Zeitschrift für systemische Therapie und Beratung, 24 (3), 156-165.

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (2003). Prejudice & position: Brief therapy for increasing the symptom of happiness, Journal of Brief Therapy, #2 (2), 101-108.

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (1994). Influence, Effect, & emerging systems.  Journal of Systemic Therapies, 13 (4), 13-21

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (2001). Respect in the consulting room: Allowing socially deviant clients to make their own choices, Family Therapy Networker, January/February, p. 65-69

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (1993). From strategizing to non-intervention: Toward irreverence in systemic practice.  Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 19: 2; 125-136

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, G. (1993a). Respektlosigkeit. Eine Uberlebensstratgie fur Terapeuten. Heidelberg, Germany: Carl Auer. German translation of Irreverence.

Ray, W. (1991a). Die interaktionale Therapie von Don D. Jackson. Eine Einfuhrung. Zeit Schrift Fur Systemische Therapie,14: 530.

Ray, W. (1991). La terapia interactiva de Don D. Jackson. Sistemas Familiares, 7 (1), Abril, 75-97.

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (1993).  De la estrategia de la no-intervenci’on: hacia la irreverencia en la pra’ctica sistemica. Psicoteripia y Familia, (Argentinean Journal of Family Therapy) 6 (2), 7-15 (Spanish)

Ray, W. & Watzlawick, P. (2006).  The Interactional Approach - Enduring Conceptions from the Mental Research Institute. Journal of Brief Therapy, 6, (1), 1-20.

Ray, W., & Watzlawick, P. (2006). El Enfoque Interactional: Conceptos Perduables del Mental Research Institute, In A. Roizblatt (Ed.) Terapia familiar de pareja, Buenos Aires, Argentina: Mediterraneo, pp. 191-208.

THE USE OF VIDEO PLAYBACK TO PROMOTE CHANGE IN BRIEF FAMILY THERAPY

I have been investigating the use of video playback to promote constructive change in therapy for more than 25 years. Replaying critical transactions from previous sessions, while maintaining a neutral and nonconfrontive therapeutic stance, encourages an atmosphere which is conducive to change. The technique allows family members to re-experience their own interactional patterns in a nonthreatening manner, enabling them to consider the meanings they attach to their family experience in different and productive ways.  For representative samples of publications based on this research see: 

Ray, W., & Saxon, W. (1992). The use of nonconfrontive video playback in brief family therapy. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy, 18 (1), 63-69

Markowitz, L. (1992). “Use of video in marital therapy,” describes Dr. Ray’s use of video playback in marital therapy. Family Therapy Networker, Sept./Oct., 12-13

Whitting, S. (2005). Non-Confrontive Video Playback in Brief Family Therapy. A qualitative dissertation study of a method of video playback originated by Dr. Ray and Dr. William Saxon. Monroe, LA: The University of Louisiana – Monroe

GREGORY BATESON'S TEAM MEETINGS TRANSCRIPTS

From 1952 - 1961Gregory Bateson and members of his Research Team (John Weakland, Jay Haley, William Fry and Don D. Jackson) created Communication Theory, and in so doing founded the field of systemic marriage and family therapy.  Housed within the Jackson Archive are numerous historic written, audio and film documents. Since 1987 a major area of research has been to organize and publish based on materials from Gregory Bateson's Research Projects on Paradoxes in Communication Processes.  For a representative sample of publications derived from this research see:

Ray, W., & Govener, M. (2007). Legacy – Lessons from the Bateson Team Meetings, Cybernetics, 36 (7/8), 1026-1036.

Ray, W. (2007). Bateson’s Cybernetics – The Basis of MRI Brief Therapy, Cybernetics, vol. 36,  #7/8, 859-870.

Ray, W., & Govener, M. (2008). Le déploiement de la cybernétique: mémoires vivantes de l’équipe de recherché de Bateson. In Jean-Jaccques Wittezaele, et al., La double contrainte. L’héritage des paradoxes de Bateson en Sciences humaines, Louvain-la-Neuve, De Boeck Université.

Simms, M. (2006, Spring). Lessons on being: Implications of Gregory Bateson’s Research Team Research. Monroe, LA: The University of Louisiana – Monroe. (I served as Dissertation Chair)

THE INTERPERSONAL THEORY OF HARRY STACK SULLIVAN

Sullivan’s “Interpersonal Theory” of human behavior has directly or indirectly influenced most, if not all, models of family therapy. Sullivan taught many of the first generation inventors of family therapy. His work is a rich reservoir of seminal ideas that set the stage for most of the cutting edge “new” ideas in the field today. Anyone interested in further discussion of Sullivan e-mail me.

TREATMENT OF EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED AND SUBSTANCE ABUSING ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

Since the early 1980s I have conducted research and clinical treatment of adolescents and young adults experiencing adjustment, emotional, behavioral and substance abuse problems. For a representative sample of publications derived from this research see:

Ray, W., & Sutton, J. (2007). Befriending your problems: Use of Metaphor with a self mutilating young woman in transition. In G. Burns (Ed.), Healing with Stories Casebook Collection for Using Therapeutic Metaphors, NY: Wiley, pp. 178-189.

Ray, W., Keeney, B., & Stormberg, J. (1999). Resource focused therapy with a “poly-substance” abusing young adult. In W. Ray & S. de Shazer & (Eds.), Evolving Brief Therapies. Iowa City, IA: Geist & Russell, Ltd

Ray, W., & Keim, J. (1997). Tough Teens: Mental Research Institute & Washington Strategic School Approaches. Family Therapy News, 28 (5); 18 & 21

Becvar, R., Ray, W., & Becvar, D. (1996). A Modest/ Immodest Proposal: Reciprocal Foster Families.Contemporary Family Therapy, 18 (2); 257-265.

Cox, R., & Ray, W. (1994). The disease model: Fact or fantasy? Louisiana Counseling Journal. 4 (2), 10-18

Cox, R., & Ray, W. (1994). The role of theory in the treatment of substance abuse. Contemporary Family Therapy, 16 (2), 131-144

Ray, W., & Crawford, A. (1991). The function of symptoms in institutionalized adolescents. Louisiana Counseling Journal, 2: 61-65

Ray, W., Saxon, W., & Woodham, L. (1991). Working toward independence: The double bind in communication dilemma. Young Adulthood & Middle Age, 3: 221-33

Stormberg, J (1990). Discourse analysis of an interactionally orienterd therapy with a “poly-addicted” young adult male. Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Nova University. This dissertation is an analysis of my successful therapy with a poly-addicted young adult.

DISSERTATIONS

Chair

I have served as Chair of 18 completed dissertation studies and 9 research studies currently in progress.

Committee Member

I have served as a committee member of 18 completed dissertation studies and 5 addition research studies currently in progress

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Selected Books

Ray, W. (Ed.), (In Press). Interactional Therapy – Selected Papers of Don D. Jackson, Vol. II, Phoenix, AZ: Zeig, Tucker, Theisan, Ltd.

Fisch, R., Ray, W., & Schlanger, K. (Eds.), (In Press). Focused Problem Resolution – Selected Papers of the MRI Brief Therapy Center.

Ray, W., & Nardone, G. (Eds.), (2008). Paul Watzlawick – Insight May Cause Blindness & other Essays, Phoenix, AZ: Zeig, Tucker, Theisan, Ltd.

·        (2007). Paul Watzlawick – Guardarsi dentro rende ciechi, Scritti con cinque saggi inediti, Milano, Italy: Ponte Alle Grazie.

·        Scheduled for publication in Spanish, German, and French.

Ray, W. (Ed.), (2005). Don D. Jackson: Selected Essays at the Dawn of an Era, Volume I, Phoenix, AZ: Zeig, Tucker, Theisan, & Co

Ray, W. & de Shazer, S. (Eds.), (1999). Evolving Brief Therapies: Essays in Honor of John H. Weakland.Galena, IL: Geist & Russell.

Weakland, J. & Ray, W. (Eds.), (1995). Propagations: Thirty Years of Influence from the Mental Research Institute. NY: Haworth.

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W.(1994). The Cybernetics of Prejudices in the Practice of Psychotherapy. London, UK: Karnac Books.

·        Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (1997). Verta e pregiudizi: Un approccio sistemico alla psicoterapia. Milan, Italy: Copertina Vando Pagliardini. (Italian translation of Cybernetics of Prejudices)

Ray, W., & Keeney, B. (1993). Resource Focused Therapy. London, UK: Karnac Books.

Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. (1992). Irreverence: A Strategy for Therapists’ Survival. London, UK: Karnac Books (Distributed in U.S. by Brunner/Mazel).

·        (1993). Irriverenza: Una strategia di sopravvivenza per i terapeuti.Milano, Italy: FrancoAngeli. (Italian translation of Irreverence)

·        (2002). Irreverencia: Una estrategia de supervivencia para terapeutas, Buenos Aires, Argentina: Paidós. (Spanish translation of Irreverence)

·        (1993). Respektlosgkeit: Eine Uberlibensstrategie fur Therapeuten. Heidelberg, Germany: Carl Auer. (German translation of Irreverence)

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Workshops & Presentations

I am regularly invited to lecture /conduct teaching seminars on the Communication / Interactional Theory and Brief Family Therapy and on a variety of topics related to brief therapy, such as adolescent substance abuse, brief treatment of ADHD, family violence, as well as a wide range of other topics.  Since 1985 and continuing to the present I have conducted more than 160 presentations and teaching seminars across the United States and in 14 other countries (Japan, China, Mexico, Canada, Ireland, Wales, England, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Greece, and South Africa).     

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Education

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Related Links

        Don D. Jackson Archive

        The Milton H. Erickson Foundation

        Gregory Bateson (1st link)
Gregory Bateson (2nd link)

        AAMFT (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

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