Her approach to therapy is more person centered rather then technique based. She wants her clients and their families to be spontaneous and creative in their sessions. Also she wants them to be willing to take risks and to disclose their feelings openly. Satir believes that emotions are best expressed through creative outlets such as acting out ones feelings, through drama, expressing through physical contact, or humor. The view of the family dynamics is essential to family therapy.
Life is full of transitions, starting with our own births.
We transition from the womb to an existing family, and then we continue to transition as we go through life. All of these stages bring on anxiety and fear, because we go from what is familiar to the unknown. When a child enters the world it enters into a family that is already loaded with rules, and more rules are developed as the child grows to ensure the continuing function of the family system. Satir believes that the most important rules are the ones that govern communication between the members of the family. These rules are full of should and should not.