Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of Family TherapyTechniquesUsesBenefitsEffectivenessThings to ConsiderHow to Get Started

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Types of Family Therapy

Techniques

Uses

Benefits

Effectiveness

Things to Consider

How to Get Started

Close

Family therapy is a type of treatment designed to help with issues that specifically affect families' mental health and functioning. It can help individual family members build stronger relationships, improve communication, and manage conflicts within the family system. By improving how family members interact and relate to one another, family therapy can foster change in close relationships.

Some of the primary goals of family therapy are to create a better home environment, solve family issues, and understand the unique issues that a family might face.

There are several types of family therapy. A few that you might encounter include:

Some therapists may stick with a specific type of family therapy. In contrast, others may take a moreeclectic, multimodal approachthat incorporates aspects of different types of treatment to suit the needs of the family.

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What Is Bowenian Family Therapy?

The techniques utilized in family therapy typically depend on factors such as the theoretical orientation of the therapist and the specific needs of the family. Some methods that may be utilized include:

Techniques used in family therapy focus on improving emotional awareness, assisting with major changes within a family, helping people accept things they cannot control, and improving communication and collaboration.

Other specific techniques used in family therapy may include learning to practiceempathy,emotional validation, reflective listening, andcognitive reframing.

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What Family Therapy Can Help With

Family therapy can help people with many different issues. Some of these include:

This type oftherapycan also address individual mental health problems that can affect the entire family, such asanxiety, chronic illness,depression, and substance use.

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Benefits of Family Therapy

Because this form of treatment addresses communication, family members can learn how to better share their thoughts and needs and resolve conflicts in a way that is less likely to damage relationships.

This type of therapy also focuses on how family members can address an individual family member’s difficulties. For example, if one family member has a mental health condition, family therapy can help alter some conditions that sometimes contribute to the problem.

What Is Filial Therapy?

Research suggests that family therapy can be effective for a range of purposes. Some supporting evidence includes:

Further research is needed to better understand how family therapy may be most effective and how it compares to other forms of treatment.

Because family therapy involves talking about emotional problems and conflicts, it can be difficult and upsetting. In some cases, people may initially feel worse before they begin to improve. It is important to remember that a professional therapist is there to help members of the family work through these conflicts and handle the intense emotions that people may experience.

While family therapy can be useful for various issues, that doesn’t mean it is right for everyone or every situation. Some other types of treatment that may also be useful includecognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT) or child psychotherapy.

Family therapy is often short-term, but it may also take place for a year or longer, depending on the situation and needs of the family. While it frequently involves all family unit members, it may also focus on those who are willing or able to participate in treatment.

During therapy sessions, the therapist will ask questions to learn more about the problems that have brought the family to therapy. They will also look at other factors contributing to issues, such as underlying mental health conditions and environmental stress.

If you are interested in trying family therapy, it can be helpful to ask your doctor for a referral or look for professionals in your area who specialize in this type of therapy. You can also search theonline directoryat the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy website.

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5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Varghese M, Kirpekar V, Loganathan S.Family interventions: basic principles and techniques.Indian J Psychiatry. 2020;62(Suppl 2):S192-S200. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_770_19Reiter MD.Family Therapy: An Introduction to Process, Practice and Theory. Routledge; 2017.Carr A.Couple therapy, family therapy and systemic interventions for adult‐focused problems: the current evidence base.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(4):492-536. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12225Jiménez L, Hidalgo V, Baena S, León A, Lorence B.Effectiveness of structural⁻strategic family therapy in the treatment of adolescents with mental health problems and their families.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(7):1255. doi:10.3390/ijerph16071255Carr A.Family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems: the current evidence base: Child-focused problems.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(2):153-213. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12226

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Varghese M, Kirpekar V, Loganathan S.Family interventions: basic principles and techniques.Indian J Psychiatry. 2020;62(Suppl 2):S192-S200. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_770_19Reiter MD.Family Therapy: An Introduction to Process, Practice and Theory. Routledge; 2017.Carr A.Couple therapy, family therapy and systemic interventions for adult‐focused problems: the current evidence base.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(4):492-536. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12225Jiménez L, Hidalgo V, Baena S, León A, Lorence B.Effectiveness of structural⁻strategic family therapy in the treatment of adolescents with mental health problems and their families.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(7):1255. doi:10.3390/ijerph16071255Carr A.Family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems: the current evidence base: Child-focused problems.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(2):153-213. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12226

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Varghese M, Kirpekar V, Loganathan S.Family interventions: basic principles and techniques.Indian J Psychiatry. 2020;62(Suppl 2):S192-S200. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_770_19Reiter MD.Family Therapy: An Introduction to Process, Practice and Theory. Routledge; 2017.Carr A.Couple therapy, family therapy and systemic interventions for adult‐focused problems: the current evidence base.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(4):492-536. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12225Jiménez L, Hidalgo V, Baena S, León A, Lorence B.Effectiveness of structural⁻strategic family therapy in the treatment of adolescents with mental health problems and their families.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(7):1255. doi:10.3390/ijerph16071255Carr A.Family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems: the current evidence base: Child-focused problems.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(2):153-213. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12226

Varghese M, Kirpekar V, Loganathan S.Family interventions: basic principles and techniques.Indian J Psychiatry. 2020;62(Suppl 2):S192-S200. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_770_19

Reiter MD.Family Therapy: An Introduction to Process, Practice and Theory. Routledge; 2017.

Carr A.Couple therapy, family therapy and systemic interventions for adult‐focused problems: the current evidence base.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(4):492-536. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12225

Jiménez L, Hidalgo V, Baena S, León A, Lorence B.Effectiveness of structural⁻strategic family therapy in the treatment of adolescents with mental health problems and their families.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(7):1255. doi:10.3390/ijerph16071255

Carr A.Family therapy and systemic interventions for child-focused problems: the current evidence base: Child-focused problems.Journal of Family Therapy. 2019;41(2):153-213. doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12226

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