Alexander, J., & Parsons, B. V. (1982). The family therapist. In J. Alexander & B. V. Parsons, Functional family therapy (pp. 93-103). Monterey, CA, US: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/11621-005
Although some have attempted to perform therapy via computers and response panels, it seems that most family therapists will continue to be human-in form if not in function. The new family therapist will find a variety of styles for being a therapist available, styles often too incompletely described to be easily emulated, yet sufficiently embedded in dogma to be at times contradictory. The problem often lies not in the technique but in the application. Techniques in themselves are neither good nor bad; their usefulness lies in when, how, and why they are used. Family therapists must be reasonably intelligent, though they need not be brilliant. Family therapists must be smart enough to understand the subtleties of many family themes, the complexity of many interactions, and the range of possible communications. However, the importance of intelligence shouldn't be overestimated. The smartest education students don't inevitably make the most sensitive or creative teachers, and the smartest medical school students do not necessarily become the most effective medical practitioners. Thus being reasonably intelligent is a prerequisite, but beyond this minimum level intelligence has relatively little importance. Of far greater importance is the impact family therapists have: Can we initially create enthusiasm, hope, and specific plans for change? Later, can we help family members move from being merely responsive to us to being able to maintain effective problem- solving styles independently of us? To decide whether a therapist can successfully handle these tasks, two major aspects of the therapist must be taken into account: status characteristics and interpersonal skills. As we use the term, status characteristics define what therapists are--their sex, age, ethnic and racial identification, and physical attractiveness. Interpersonal skills are the potentially changeable ways in which therapists behave toward clients. Though it may not always be easy, we can learn to smile rather than frown, ask questions rather than give orders, and look attentive rather than look bored. The nature and timing of these and many other specific behaviors powerfully affect the intervention process. Later in this chapter we describe the major characteristics of these behaviors, how they affect intervention, and how we can learn to express them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)