FAMILY THERAPY

Family therapy or family counseling is a form of treatment that is designed to address specific issues affecting the health and functioning of a family. It can be used to help a family through a difficult period of time, a major transition, or mental or behavioral health problems in family members.

Family therapy views individuals’ problems in the context of the larger unit or system: the family. The assumption in this type of therapy is that problems cannot be successfully addressed or solved without understanding the dynamics of the group or system. The way the family operates influences how the client’s problems formed and how those behaviors are encouraged or enabled by the other members of the family.

Family therapy can employ techniques and exercises from cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, or other types of individual therapy. The techniques employed will depend on the specific needs of the client or clients. Behavioral or emotional problems in children are common reasons to visit a family therapist. “A child’s problems do not exist in a vacuum; they exist in the context of the family and will likely need to be addressed within the context of the family” (Herkov, 2016).