Virginia Satir Self-Worth and How it Pertains to Self-Awareness

Virginia Satir:Self-Worth

What is this theory and how does it pertain to Self-Awareness?

Who?Virginia Satir

June 1916 - September 1988

What did she do?

➢ Spread the idea of therapy with Dr. Calmest Gyros➢ Family Therapist➢ Founder of Mental Health Research Institute (MHRI)➢ Came up with the Self-Worth Theory➢ Founded several networking programs: International Human

Resources Network, Advanta Network➢ Was on the National Council for Self-Esteem➢ Had a position on the Steering Committee of the

International Family Therapy Association

Theory of Self-Worth

“I am me and I am ok.”-Virginia Satir

“We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions to define us.”-Virginia Satir

Definition of Self-Worth:

Virginia Satir’s idea that our individual worth is our perception of what happens between people and inside people

What gave her the idea for her theory?

Childhood Memory

As a child Satir’s mother had a large black pot with three legs. The pot was used for three main things throughout the year: to make soap, make stew, or hold manure for the garden. If you wanted to use the pot you had to ask yourself two questions. First, what is in the pot right now? Second, how full is the pot?

Coming Into Play

One day during a family session, Satir was listening to the family members trying to discuss their feelings. It was then that she remembered her mother’s pot and told the family about it. After that the family started to use the image of a pot to express their feelings to each other.

Since it worked with one family Satir continued to keep using this method with more and more families as it continued to work.

The Pot

How Does it Work?

High Pot

➔ The better of the two pots➔ When a person feels good about

him/herself➔ Person has higher self-esteem➔ Person tends to be more

successful and happier

Low Pot

➔ The worse of the two pots➔ When a person feels bad about

him/herself➔ Person has lower self-esteem➔ Person tends to give up, feel

that he or she is unwanted and unloved

➔ Most tend to turn to a life of crime: murder, drugs, etc.

➔ Others turn to suicide

Why is this important?The self-worth pot is a measure of someone’s self-

esteem. The higher the self-esteem then the higher a person’s self-worth is. The lower the self-esteem then

the lower a person’s self-worth is.

How does one learn their definition of low or high pot feelings?

❏ Parents❏ Family Members❏ School peers❏ Work peers

The Five Freedoms

These help people connect to their body and self more accurately. It also helps them focus on their

inner resources and choices. It helps change their pot in one direction

or another

1. The freedom to hear and see what is actually here

2. The freedom to say what you think and feel

3. The freedom to feel what you feel

4. The freedom to ask for what you want

5. The freedom to take risks

What ties into this theory?

“What lingers from the parent’s individual past, unresolved or incomplete, often becomes part of her or his irrational parenting.”-Virginia Satir

“Life is not the way it is suppose to be it is the way it is the way you cope with it is what makes the difference.”-Virginia Satir

Principles to help the self-esteem system

★ Personal Growth★ Family setting★ Creative Coping Skills★ People being more similar than different

Other things that help put the theory together

❖ Communication❖ Risking❖ Personal Rules

Healthy Systems are Open Systems

How does this tie into the self-worth theory?

The pot consists mainly of self-esteem and this

characterizes ways to keep your pot full.

● Self-Esteem: high● Communication: open,

honest● Risking: willingness● Rules: realistic,

flexible

Troubled Systems are

Closed SystemsHow does this tie into the

self-worth theory?This characterizes what keeps your pot empty.

● Self-esteem: low● Communication:

indirect, unclear● Risking: unwillingness● Rules: rigid

How can a person change his/her pot from low to high?

“Change is possible. Believe it.”

Change

● Talk with your family● Reminisce on memories but view them in a different way● Change your perspective on things● Move past stress● Express oneself● experience life

Virginia Satir’s Thoughts

“...the vital person treats these temporary low-pot feelings as just what

they are-a crisis of the moment from which he can emerge whole and something he can

feel uncomfortable about but does not have to hide...”

“...I truly believe that most of the pain, problems, ugliness in the life-even wars-are a result of someone’s low-pot, which he really can’t talk straight about...”

There are two kinds of people. The people who have a high pot and the people who have a low pot. The kind of pot you have determines the way you are.

How does this tie into Self-Awareness?

Definition of Self-Awareness:

The capability to reflect and decide and become aware of our responsibility for choosing the way we live and thus influence our own destiny.

Virginia Satir’s self-worth theory ties into self-awareness because if a person has a feeling of low self-worth then he or she has a low sense of self-awareness. Whereas a person who has a feeling of high self-worth then he or she has a high sense of self-awareness.

Statistics

5.1:36.5:60.9These are the percentages in ratio of the dropout rate of three therapist.The order goes Virginia Satir:Murray Bowen:Jay Haley.

93.7:36.5:26.5These are the percentage rates of the success of engagement for the same three therapists.

88.8:57.9:26.5These are the percentage rates for the completion for the same three therapists.

References

"McCall Kids Dot Org - Virginia Satir's Self-Esteem System." McCall Kids Dot Org - VirginiaSatir's Self-Esteem System. Web. 19 Sept. 2015.

Satir, Virginia. Peoplemaking,. Palo Alto, Calif.: Science and Behavior, 1972. Print.Staik, Athena. "The Five Freedoms of Becoming More Fully Human – Virginia Satir & Mental

Health." Neuroscience and Relationships. Web. 19 Sept. 2015."Virginia Satir and Self Esteem – High Pot and Low Pot." James Campbell. Web. 16 Sept.

2015."Virginia Satir." Virginia Satir. Web. 19 Sept. 2015.Walker, Velma. Becoming Aware: A Text/workbook for Human Relations and Personal

Adjustment. 12th ed. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Pub., 2013. Print."Women's Intellectual Contributions to the Study of Mind and Society." Web. 22 Sept. 2015.