What is the Brief Systemic Dialogical Therapy?

The Brief Systemic Dialogical Therapy (BSDT) represents a synthetic approach within the framework of developments in Systemic Theory, shaped by the constructivist ideas of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and contemporary Dialogical Collaborative Therapies rooted in Social Constructionism.

It was created through the long-term experience and work of Clinical Psychologist and Systemic Therapist Dina Mousteri, which led to the founding of the Brief Systemic Dialogical Institute, offering short, intensive training programs.

The aim of BSDT is to facilitate a journey of exploration in which therapist/facilitator and clients co-create new meanings, with the ethics of care playing an important role. By moving away from problem-saturated stories and engaging in genuine dialogue, clients can externalize their issues and re-author their lives, leading to sustainable change in a short timeframe. The BSDT model is situated within the post-postmodern therapy approaches, where therapy is about finding hope and agency in a world where nothing is fixed, using the very fact that we construct out reality as the means for change.

The model can be applied to individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations.

The core philosophy is focused on three main pillars:

1. Systemic Perspective

• It includes not only families but also individuals, couples, children, and organizations.

• It emphasizes on relationships and context. It views the individual not in isolation but as part of a complex network of relationships where meaning emerges.

• It explores belief systems and communication patterns by adopting various working styles to fit the unique needs of the client, respecting their cultural and social context.

  
  

2. Brief Approach

• Rooted in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, the goal is to utilize the client's existing resources to construct future solutions within a limited number of sessions.

• Unlike traditional strategic therapy where the therapist directs the process, the BSDT adopts a collaborative process. The therapist creates space for solutions to emerge from the client's own experiences and knowledge, rather than imposing influence.

  
  

3. Dialogical Approach

• Dialogue is the engine of change. It is a "mutual understanding" process where new meanings emerge in the "space between" people. Identities and worlds are built through coordination with others and the therapist engages with the client's words rather than analyzing about them.

  
  

The strength of the BSDT lies in its open, dynamic and integrative nature making it ideal to adapting to diverse therapeutic styles and a wide range of presenting issues. It readily welcomes insights from other theoretical frameworks, such as Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral modalities.