What Is Systemic Therapy?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesTechniquesWhat Systemic Therapy Can Help WithBenefitsEffectivenessThings to ConsiderHow to Get Started

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Types

Techniques

What Systemic Therapy Can Help With

Benefits

Effectiveness

Things to Consider

How to Get Started

Close

What is systemic therapy?Systemic therapy is a form ofpsychotherapythat focuses on how an individual’s personal relationships, behavior patterns, and life choices are interconnected with the issues they face in their life.

What is systemic therapy?

Systemic therapy is a form ofpsychotherapythat focuses on how an individual’s personal relationships, behavior patterns, and life choices are interconnected with the issues they face in their life.

The concept of systemic therapy springs from systems theory, which looks at how parts of a system affect one another to sustain the stability and equilibrium of the whole.

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Types of Systemic Therapy

Therapists apply systemic theory in individual, family, and group settings. Each type takes a slightly different approach based on the systems theory model.

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Techniques of Systemic Therapy

Below are some examples of techniques employed in systemic therapy.

Systemic therapy can help people of any age, including children.Depending on the issue, several sessions or years might be necessary to resolve problems. It’s particularly useful for those who are repressing or denying emotions for fear of appearing selfish or hurting others.

For many, systemic therapy provides insights into how patterns established early in life now limit the person’s options.

For example, someone uncomfortable asserting their needs and desires may suppress their feelings. As a result, they may fail to develop interpersonal skills that would help them maintain healthy relationships.

As another example, someone who never learned how to manage their anger may lash out at loved ones in increasingly destructive ways. Systemic therapy can help people address these problems and, in some cases, discover their origins.

Issues that systemic therapy can help with include:

Benefits of Systemic Therapy

Systemic therapy helps people understand how their emotional lives affect interactions.

Systemic therapy provides a safe space to talk about personal issues that are too painful or difficult to share with others. It can provide insights that other forms of counseling or therapy can fail to uncover.

Below are some benefits of systemic therapy:

Effectiveness of Systemic Therapy

Systemic family therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for children and adolescents.However, more studies are needed to determine the best type of therapy and how well it works.

Systemic therapy can help identify how different relationships affect an individual. However, this type of therapy is not for everyone.

Below are things to consider before committing to systemic family counseling or therapy:

How to Get Started With Systemic Therapy

To get started with systemic therapy, find a licensed therapist who is well-versed in the modality. From there, you are encouraged to share your goals for working together. For example, you may want to work on improving relationships within your family or resolve problems at school. Be as specific as possible when detailing issues that need remedying.

A Word From Verywell

Systemic therapy can be an effective approach for family counseling. There is some evidence that this type of treatment is helpful in addressing relationship issues and helping people with communication skills. However, it may not be the best form of help for all individuals. It’s important to explore this treatment option before committing to working with a therapist.

How to Find a Therapist

3 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_19Retzlaff R, von Sydow K, Beher S, Haun MW, Schweitzer J.The efficacy of systemic therapy for internalizing and other disorders of childhood and adolescence: a systematic review of 38 randomized trials.Fam Process. 2013;52(4):619-652. doi:10.1111/famp.12041Georgievska, S., and S. N. Josifovska. 2023. “A SYSTEMIC FAMILY APPROACH IN WORKING WITH CHILD VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE.”Annual of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, 76 (1): 657–670. doi:10.37510/godzbo2376657g

3 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_19Retzlaff R, von Sydow K, Beher S, Haun MW, Schweitzer J.The efficacy of systemic therapy for internalizing and other disorders of childhood and adolescence: a systematic review of 38 randomized trials.Fam Process. 2013;52(4):619-652. doi:10.1111/famp.12041Georgievska, S., and S. N. Josifovska. 2023. “A SYSTEMIC FAMILY APPROACH IN WORKING WITH CHILD VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE.”Annual of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, 76 (1): 657–670. doi:10.37510/godzbo2376657g

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_19Retzlaff R, von Sydow K, Beher S, Haun MW, Schweitzer J.The efficacy of systemic therapy for internalizing and other disorders of childhood and adolescence: a systematic review of 38 randomized trials.Fam Process. 2013;52(4):619-652. doi:10.1111/famp.12041Georgievska, S., and S. N. Josifovska. 2023. “A SYSTEMIC FAMILY APPROACH IN WORKING WITH CHILD VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE.”Annual of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, 76 (1): 657–670. doi:10.37510/godzbo2376657g

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

Retzlaff R, von Sydow K, Beher S, Haun MW, Schweitzer J.The efficacy of systemic therapy for internalizing and other disorders of childhood and adolescence: a systematic review of 38 randomized trials.Fam Process. 2013;52(4):619-652. doi:10.1111/famp.12041

Georgievska, S., and S. N. Josifovska. 2023. “A SYSTEMIC FAMILY APPROACH IN WORKING WITH CHILD VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE.”Annual of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, 76 (1): 657–670. doi:10.37510/godzbo2376657g

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