This week in class we talked about the four theories: systems, exchange, symbolic interaction and conflict. We focused a lot on systems theory. This theory is about roles, rules and boundaries. We learned about Menuhin. He studied to see whether the frequency of asthma had anything to do with family structure. His research showed that they are in fact related. There was a higher frequency of asthma when the child's family was disturbed. He used physical distance between family members to understand the interactions that were taking place. The way that people sit when they are doing something can reflect their relationship dynamics. When you change where individuals are sitting, you are giving them a new experience. Therapy itself is a new experience for the people receiving it. This can be much more useful than giving them advice. I thought it was interesting that you could influence the relationships between people by changing where they were sitting. You cannot influence the family system without understanding it.