Richard Fisch (1926–2011) was an 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 ...
best known for his pioneering work in
brief therapy
Brief psychotherapy (also brief therapy, planned short-term therapy) is an umbrella term for a variety of approaches to short-term, solution-oriented psychotherapy.
Overview
Brief therapy differs from other schools of therapy in that it emphasi ...
.
![Richard Fisch, 2009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Richard_Fisch%2C_2009.jpg)
Dick Fisch graduated from Colby College, studied for a year at Columbia University School of Anthropology, and then entered the New York Medical College where he graduated in 1954. Dr. Fisch completed a Psychiatric Residency at the
Sheppard Pratt Health System, Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in 1958. While at Sheppard Pratt, he was heavily influenced by Harry Stack Sullivan's Interpersonal Theory of Behavior and had his first indirect contact with
Don D. Jackson
__NOTOC__
Donald deAvila Jackson, M.D. (2 January 1920 – 29 January 1968) was an American psychiatrist best known for his pioneering work in family therapy.
From 1947 to 1951, he studied under Harry Stack Sullivan.
From 1953 to 1962, he worke ...
who would later bring him to the
Mental Research Institute
The Palo Alto Mental Research Institute (MRI) is one of the founding institutions of brief and family therapy.Nichols, M., & Schwartz, R. (2005). ''Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods'' (7th Edition), New York City: Prentice Hall. Founded by Don ...
(MRI) in Palo Alto, CA.
MRI "became the go-to place for any therapist who wanted to be on the cutting edge of psychotherapy research and practice. Fostering a climate of almost untrammeled experimentalism, MRI started the first formal training program in family therapy, produced some of the seminal early papers and books in the field, and became a place where some of the field's leading figures -
Paul Watzlawick
Paul Watzlawick (July 25, 1921 – March 31, 2007) was an Austrian-American family therapist, psychologist, communication theorist, and philosopher. A theoretician in communication theory and radical constructivism, he commented in the fields ...
, Richard Fisch, Jules Riskin,
Virginia Satir
Virginia Satir (26 June 1916 – 10 September 1988) was an American author and psychotherapist,http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_virginia_satir.htm recognized for her approach to ...
,
Salvador Minuchin
Salvador Minuchin (October 13, 1921 – October 30, 2017) was a family therapist born and raised in San Salvador, Entre Ríos, Argentina. He developed structural family therapy, which addresses problems within a family by charting the relationship ...
,
R.D. Laing
Ronald David Laing (7 October 1927 – 23 August 1989), usually cited as R. D. Laing, was a Scottish psychiatrist who wrote extensively on mental illnessin particular, the experience of psychosis. Laing's views on the causes and treatment of ...
,
Irvin D. Yalom
Irvin David Yalom (; born June 13, 1931) is an American existential psychiatrist who is emeritus professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, as well as author of both fiction and nonfiction.
Early life
Yalom was born in Washington, D.C. A ...
, Cloe Madanes - came to work or just hang out".
While at MRI, he additionally worked with
John Weakland John H. Weakland (8 January 1919 – 18 July 1995) was one of the founders of brief and family psychotherapy. At the time of his death, he was a senior research fellow at the Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto, California, co-director of t ...
,
Jay Haley
Jay Douglas Haley (July 19, 1923 – February 13, 2007) was one of the founding figures of brief and family therapy in general and of the strategic model of psychotherapy, and he was one of the more accomplished teachers, clinical supervisors, and ...
,
Paul Watzlawick
Paul Watzlawick (July 25, 1921 – March 31, 2007) was an Austrian-American family therapist, psychologist, communication theorist, and philosopher. A theoretician in communication theory and radical constructivism, he commented in the fields ...
,
Virginia Satir
Virginia Satir (26 June 1916 – 10 September 1988) was an American author and psychotherapist,http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_virginia_satir.htm recognized for her approach to ...
, and many other prominent figures in the development 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 relationsh ...
,
brief therapy
Brief psychotherapy (also brief therapy, planned short-term therapy) is an umbrella term for a variety of approaches to short-term, solution-oriented psychotherapy.
Overview
Brief therapy differs from other schools of therapy in that it emphasi ...
,
systems theory
Systems theory is the interdisciplinary study of systems, i.e. cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components that can be natural or human-made. Every system has causal boundaries, is influenced by its context, defined by its structu ...
and
communication theory
Communication theory is a proposed description of communication phenomena, the relationships among them, a storyline describing these relationships, and an argument for these three elements. Communication theory provides a way of talking about a ...
.
In 1965, in a memo to Don Jackson, dated September 15, 1965, Fisch proposed creation of a research project that would "provide imaginative, well planned, brief therapy and at the same time permit a more thorough study if the effectiveness of this approach. With the backing of Don Jackson, MRI's Brief Therapy Center as founded by Fisch,
John Weakland John H. Weakland (8 January 1919 – 18 July 1995) was one of the founders of brief and family psychotherapy. At the time of his death, he was a senior research fellow at the Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto, California, co-director of t ...
,
Paul Watzlawick
Paul Watzlawick (July 25, 1921 – March 31, 2007) was an Austrian-American family therapist, psychologist, communication theorist, and philosopher. A theoretician in communication theory and radical constructivism, he commented in the fields ...
, and Art Bodin. The Brief Therapy Center was central to the emergence of Brief Therapy approaches that have radically changed the practice of psychotherapy.
[MRI website, http://www.mri.org/]
Publications
*Fisch, R. (1963).
eview of M. Grotjahn, Psychoanalysis and family neurosis.''
Family Process
''Family Process'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering research on family system issues, including policy and applied practice. It is published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Family Process Institute. Since 2007, the journa ...
''.
*Fisch, R. (1964). Home visits in a private psychiatric practice. ''Family Process'', 3, 114-126.
*Fisch, R. (1965). Resistance to change in the psychiatric community. Archives of General *Psychiatry, 13, 359-366.
*Fisch, R. (1975). The treatment of women with low sexual desire. In M. I. Lief (Ed.), Medical aspects of human sexuality. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.
*Fisch, R. (1977). Sometimes its better for the right hand not to know what the left hand is doing. In P. Papp (Ed.), Family therapy: Full length case studies. New York: Gardner Press.
*Fisch, R. (1978).
eview of J. Haley, Problem solving therapy.''Family Process'', 17.
*Fisch, R. (1982). Erickson's impact on brief psychotherapy. In J. Zeig (Ed.), Ericksonian approaches to hypnosis and psychotherapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
*Fisch, R. (1988). Training in the brief therapy model. In H. A. Liddle (Ed.), Handbook of family therapy training and supervision. New York: Guilford Press.
*Fisch, R. (1989). I’ve had my share. In J. A. Kottler & D. S. Blau (Eds.), The imperfect therapist. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
*Fisch, R. (1990). The broader implications of Milton H. Ericksons work. In S. Lankton (Ed.), Ericksonian Monographs,7. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
*Fisch, R. (1990). Problem solving psychotherapy. In J. Zeig & W. M. Munion (Eds.), What is psychotherapy? Contemporary perspectives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
*Fisch, R. (1994). Basic elements in the brief therapies. In M. F. Hoyt (Ed.), Constructive therapies. New York: Guilford Press.
*Fisch, R. (1994). Case commentary: A woman with chronic anxiety. In S. Lankton & K. Erickson, (Eds.), The essence of a single session success: Ericksonian monographs, No. 9. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
*Fisch, R. (1994). The essence of Ericksonian methodsup for grabs. In J. K. Zeig (Ed.), Ericksonian methods: The essence of the story. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
*Fisch, R., Watzlawick, P., Weakland, J. H., & Bodin, A. M. (1972). On unbecoming family therapists. In A. Ferber, M. - Mendelsohn, & A. Napier (Eds.), The book of family therapy. New York: Science House.
lso in P. Watzlawick & J. H. Weakland (Eds.), The interactional view. New York: W. W. Norton, 1977.*Fisch, R., & Weakland, J. H. (1976). A case of hyperactivity resolved by brief psychotherapy. In D. M. Ross & S. A. Ross (Eds.), Hyperactivity: Research, theory and action. New York: John Wiley.
*Fisch, R., & Weakland, J. H. (1984). Cases that don't make sense: Brief strategic treatment in medical practice. Family Systems Medicine, 2(2), 125-136.
*Fisch, R., & Weakland, J. H. (1985). The strategic approach. In S. Henao & N. P. Grose (Eds.), Principles of family systems in family medicine. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
*Fisch, R., & Weakland, J. H. (1992). Brief therapyMRI style. In S. Budman, et al. (Eds.), The first session in brief therapy. New York: Guilford Press.
*Fisch, R., Weakland, J. H., Schlanger, K., & Watzlawick, P. (1992). El Mental Research Institute cumple 33 anos: Hacia donde va? Perspectivas Sistemicas, 5(21), 4-6.
*Fisch, R., Weakland, J. H., & Segal, L. (1982). The tactics of change: Doing therapy briefly. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. [Also in the following foreign editions: Change: La Tattiche del Cambiamento. Rome: Casa Editrice Astrolabio, 1983; La Tactica del Cambio. Barcelona: Editorial Herder, 1984; Tokyo: Kongo Shuppan, in press; Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta, in press; Stockholm: Bokforlaget Naturoch Kultur, in press.]
*Fisch, R., Weakland, J., Watzlawick, P., Segal, L., Hoebel, F., & Deardorff, C. (1975). Learning brief therapy: an introductory manual. Palo Alto: Mental Research Institute.
*Fisch, R., deShazer, S., & Ray, W. (2000). A little friction can be fun: A dialogue between Richard *Fisch and Steve deShazer. (2 audiotape). The Hinks-Delcrest Institute, Toronto, Canada.
*Fisch, R., Ray, W., & Schlanger, K. (1996). MRI Then & Now: Brief Therapy in Context. (2 audiotapes). AAMFT Convention Tapes
*Ray, W., & Fisch, R. (1995). On John Weakland (With Richard Fisch). AAMFT Family Therapy News, 26 (5), October,5
*Schlanger, K., Weakland, J., Fisch, R., & Watzlawick, P. (1992). MRI: con 30 años de historia, adónde va? Perspectivas sistémicas, April/May, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
*Watzlawick, P., Weakland, J. H., & Fisch, R. (1974). Change: Principles of problem formation and problem resolution. New York: W. W. Norton. [Also the following foreign editions: Lösungen; zur Theorie und Praxis menschlichen Wandels. Bern, Stuttgart & Vienna: Hans Huber Medical Publisher, 1974 (2nd ed., 1979); Change. Sulla formazione e la soluzione dei problemi. Rome: Astrolabio, 1974; Het kan anders. Over het onderkennen en oplossen van menselijke problemen. Deventer (Holland): Van Loghum Slaterus, 1974; Changements. Paradoxes et psychothérapie.Paris: Editions du Seuil, 1974; Cambio. Formación y solución de los problemas humanos. Barcelona: Editorial Herder, 1976; Mudança: Principios de formacão e resolucão de problemas. São Paulo: Editorial Cultrix, 1977;Forandring: Att stalla och losa problem. Stockholm: Natur & Kultur, 1978; Muutoksen avaimet. Jyväskylä (Finland): Gummerus, 1979; Shinui: Ekronot shel yetzirat beayot ufitrona. Tel-Aviv: Sifriat Poalim, 1979;Forandring: Prinsipper for hvordan problemer oppstar og hvordan de loses. Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, 1980; Valtozas. Budapest: Gondolat, 1990; Henka no genri. Tokyo: Hosei University Press, 1992.]
*Watzlawick, P., Weakland, J., & Fisch, J. (1974). Change: Principles of Problem Formation & Problem Resolution, 1974,NY: W.W. Norton.
*Fisch, R., Weakland, J., & Segal, L. (1982). The Tactics of Change Doing Therapy Briefly, 1982, San Francisco, CA:Jossey-Bass.
*Fisch, R., Weakland, J., Watzlawick, P., & Bodin, A. (1972). On Unbecoming Family Therapists, (With R. Fisch, P.Watzlawick, & A. Bodin) in The Book of Family Therapy, pp. 597–617.
*Weakland, Fisch, R., Watzlawick, P., & Bodin, A. (1974). Brief Therapy: Focused Problem Resolution (with R. Fisch, P.Watzlawick & A. Bodin), ''Family Process'', 13, 141-168.
*Weakland, J., & Fisch, R. (1976). Brief Therapy (With R. Fisch), in Hyperactivity: Research, Theory & Action, D. Ross & S. Ross, Eds. NY: Wiley, pp. 176–182.
*Weakland, J., Fisch, R., Watzlawick, P. (1984). Kurztherapie: Ein umfassender Ansatz, in Das Buch der Familientherapie, ed. by Martin R. Textor. Fachbuchhandlung fur Psychologie, Frankfurt, pp. 50–64.
*Weakland, J. & Fisch, R. (1984). Cases that Don't Make Sense: Brief Strategic Treatment in Medical Practice (with R.Fisch), Family Systems Medicine, (2) 2, 125-136.
*Fisch, R., Weakland, J., Watzlawick, P., & Schlanger, K. (1992). El Mental Research Institute cumple años: hacia donde va? Perspectivas Sistemicas (Buenos Aires), (5) 21, 4-6.
*Fisch, R., & Weakland, J. (1992). Brief Therapy − MRI Style (with R. Fisch). In The First Session in Brief Therapy, S. Budman, M. Hoyt, & S. Friedman, eds., NY, Guilford Publications, pp. 306–323.
*Bavelas, J., Weakland, J., Haley, J., Fisch, R., & Wilder, C. (1998). A conversation about beginnings, in W. Ray, & S.deShazer (Eds.), Evolving Brief Therapies, Iowa City: IA: Geist & Russell, 1998, pp. 3–43.
Notes
External links
* https://web.archive.org/web/20070416091816/http://www.mri.org/dondjackson/ Official Website
* http://www.mri.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisch, Richard
1926 births
2011 deaths
American psychiatrists
Family therapists
American systems scientists
Communication theorists
20th-century American physicians