Carl Whitaker

After a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, Whitaker began to work in 1938 in a psychiatric hospital, and soon became fascinated by the challenge of treating people with schizophrenia.

[2] He is credited for the co-development of the symbolic-experiential approach to therapy and the use of co-therapists, which came about during World War II as he counseled workers in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where a top-secret atomic bomb project was under way.

He intervened directly at the emotional level of the system, relying heavily on "symbolism" and real life experiences as well as humor, play, and affective confrontation.

In many ways, he encouraged therapists to move beyond the rules of polite society and invite all participants to be genuine and real enough to speak the whole truth.

In 1982 Whitaker's major articles on family therapy were collected in From Psyche to System edited by John R. Neill and David Kniskern.