Virginia Satir quotes

Virginia Satir was an influential American psychotherapist, widely recognized as a pioneer in family therapy. Her innovative approaches helped shape modern practices in communication and human relationships. She is remembered for her compassionate work and lasting impact on the field of psychotherapy. Here are 20 of her quotes:

We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth. (Virginia Satir)
We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us. View quote
Virginia Satir
Adolescents are not monsters. They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves. View quote
Virginia Satir
Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible - the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family. View quote
Virginia Satir
A growing body of clinical observation has pointed to the conclusion that the family therapy must be oriented to the family as a whole. View quote
Virginia Satir
Life is not what it's supposed to be. It's what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference. View quote
Virginia Satir
Every word, facial expression, gesture, or action on the part of a parent gives the child some message about self-worth. It is sad that so many parents don't realize what messages they are sending. View quote
Virginia Satir
Why Family Therapy...because it deals with family pain. you. View quote
Virginia Satir
I have often thought had there been somebody like me around, something might have been able to be done. I also think I don't see how I could have done what I've done in the world had I been married. And when I decided-because I've been on the verge of marriage many times-I said no, because if I wanted to roam the globe like I did, it wouldn't be fair. It wouldn't be fair to me, it wouldn't be fair to the people. At the point, I really feel it was a kind of destiny because I've been able to get to places. There are some people in the world who have other jobs to do. View quote
Virginia Satir
I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen, heard, understood and touched by them. The greatest gift I can give is to see, hear, understand and touch another person. When this is done, I feel contact has been made. View quote
Virginia Satir
To all my friends, colleagues and family: I send you love. Please support me in my passage to a new life. I have no other way to thank you than this. You have all played a significant part in my development of loving. As a result, my life has been rich and full, so I leave feeling very grateful. (Virginia Satir)
I want to love you without clutching, appreciate you without judging, join you without invading, invite you without demanding, leave you without guilt, criticize you without blaming, and help you without insulting. If I can have the same from you, then we can truly meet and enrich each other. View quote
Virginia Satir
Problems are not the problem; coping is the problem. View quote
Virginia Satir
So much is asked of parents, and so little is given. View quote
Virginia Satir
We can learn something new anytime we believe we can. View quote
Virginia Satir
What lingers from the parent's individual past, unresolved or incomplete, often becomes part of her or his irrational parenting. View quote
Virginia Satir
I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen by them, heard by them, to be understood and touched by them. View quote
Virginia Satir
The recommended daily requirement for hugs is: four per day for survival, eight per day for maintenance, and twelve per day for growth. View quote
Virginia Satir
Over the years I have developed a picture of what a human being living humanely is like. She is a person who understand, values and develops her body, finding it beautiful and useful a person who is real and is willing to take risks, to be creative, to manifest competence, to change when the situation calls for it, and to find ways to accommodate to what is new and different, keeping that part of the old that is still useful and discarding what is not. View quote
Virginia Satir
"I think if I have one message, one thing before I die that most of the world would know, it would be that the event does not determine how to respond to the event. That is a purely personal matter. The way in which we respond will direct and influence the event more than the event itself.” - 1986 meeting of 600 Los Angeles-area psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. View quote
Virginia Satir

Virginia Satir

Occupation: American Psychotherapist
Born: June 26, 1916
Died: September 10, 1988
Quotes count: 20
Wikipedia: Virginia Satir

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