You may have heard of couples therapy, but did you consider an entire family therapy before? According to some statistics, over 37% of marriages in the United States end in divorce, and around one out of two children will witness that marriage break.
Also, 32% of Americans reported that drug abuse caused massive issues within their families.
These numbers don’t necessarily mean that an incoherent family is always the reason for the marriage breakup, but a cohesive, loving family will certainly ease off some pressure and help the parents stay together.
One tool to help with family cohesiveness is family therapy. In theory, family therapy is bringing all family members who have issues together and having them duke it off.
In reality, the process is much more guided and fruitful and often yields great results. In this guide, we’ll explain family therapy, its subtypes, and what you should expect from a family therapy visit.
Table of Contents
What Is Family Therapy?
Family therapy, also known as family counseling, is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on improving the dynamics within a family unit.
Unlike individual therapy, which addresses the needs of a single person, family therapy involves multiple family members and seeks to address issues that affect the entire family system.
The goal here is to provide healthier relationships, improve communication, and resolve conflicts in a way that strengthens the family as a whole.
In family therapy, the therapist works with the family to identify patterns of interaction that may be contributing to problems (e.g., how a parent’s seemingly neutral method of guiding a child may be perceived as controlling).
These patterns can involve communication styles, roles, and behavioral expectations. By understanding these dynamics, the therapist helps the family develop new ways of interacting that are more positive and supportive.
Family therapy is especially useful for families dealing with a wide range of issues. Examples include marital conflicts, parenting challenges, behavioral problems in children, mental health disorders, substance abuse, and life transitions such as divorce or the loss of a loved one.
The therapy sessions may include all family members or just those who are most directly involved in the issue at hand.
This approach is based on the idea that problems within a family are often interrelated and that by addressing these family issues collectively, they can create lasting change.
Family therapy emphasizes collaboration and open communication, with the aim of building a stronger, more resilient family unit.
Basic Fundamentals of Family Therapy
Family therapy is grounded in several key principles that guide the therapeutic process and help families achieve healthier relationships. Without dwelling too much on science, here are some of these basics:
The Therapy Relies on the Systems Theory
Family therapy is based on the idea that families function as a system. This means that each member of the family plays a role, and their behaviors and emotions are interconnected.
Changes in one part of the system can affect the entire family. The therapist helps the family understand these constant changes and how they contribute to the issues they are facing. This can help with adjusting the treatment plan in the long term.
Holistic Approach
Rather than focusing solely on the individual, family therapy looks at the family as a whole. The goal is to understand how each member’s behavior affects others and how the family as a unit can work together to solve problems.
This approach respects family dynamics and helps family members understand each other more through guided discussions.
Communication and Interaction Patterns
Effective communication is at the heart of healthy family relationships. Family therapy often involves identifying and improving patterns of communication that may be contributing to misunderstandings or conflicts.
The therapist may teach new communication skills, such as active listening and expressing emotions in a constructive manner.
Problem-Solving and Conflict Resolution
Families often come to therapy when they are struggling with unresolved conflicts or challenges. Mental health professionals work with families to develop problem-solving strategies that everyone can agree on.
This may involve setting goals, creating action plans, and learning how to manage disagreements in a way that is respectful and productive to keep the family functioning better.
Focus on Strengths and Resilience
While family therapy addresses challenges and conflicts, it also emphasizes the strengths and resilience of the family.
When a therapist focuses on the positive aspects of the family’s relationships and individual members’ abilities, it can help them build on these strengths as they work toward their goals.
Cultural Sensitivity
Last but not least, family therapy recognizes that each family is unique, with its own cultural, religious, and social backgrounds.
Therapists are trained to be culturally sensitive and to respect the values and traditions of the family. This ensures that therapy is relevant and respectful to the family’s specific context.
What Are the Types of Family Therapy?
There are various types of evidence-based family therapies to suit every situation. Here are the most common ones:
- Psychoeducation: Educates families on mental health conditions to improve understanding and support.
- Structural Family Therapy: Focuses on restructuring family roles and boundaries to improve interactions.
- Strategic Family Therapy: Uses specific strategies and tasks to change problematic family dynamics.
- Systemic Family Therapy: Examines family systems and relationships to understand and address issues.
- Narrative Therapy: Helps families reframe their stories, separating problems from individuals to create new, positive narratives.
- Relationship Counseling: Focuses on resolving conflicts and improving communication between couples or family members.
- Transgenerational Therapy: Explores patterns and issues passed down through generations to resolve long-standing family problems.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Addresses dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors within the family, promoting healthier interactions.
- Functional Family Therapy: Targets at-risk youth and their families, using specific interventions to reduce problematic behavior.
- Psychodynamics: Examines unconscious influences and past experiences affecting family members’ current behaviors.
- Structural Therapy: Another term for Structural Family Therapy, emphasizing family roles and boundaries.
- Behavioral Activation: Encourages positive behaviors and activities to improve mood and family dynamics.
- Family Systems Therapy: Views the family as an interconnected system, focusing on patterns and relationships.
- Strategy Therapy: Similar to Strategic Family Therapy, using tactics to alter family interactions and solve problems.
- Communication Therapy: Improves how family members communicate, fostering better understanding and relationships.
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Focuses on finding quick, practical solutions rather than delving into problems.
- Systemic Therapy: Also focuses on the family system, but with a broader perspective on social and cultural contexts.
What Should You Expect in a Family Therapy Session?
address issues affecting the family unit as a whole, these sessions typically involve multiple family members meeting together with a trained therapist.
When you attend a family therapy session, you can expect to be in a safe and supportive environment where each family member is encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings openly.
The therapist will often begin by asking about the family’s history, like what caused the current issues, how long has it been happening, and how everyone feels about it.
This might seem like putting gas into the fire, but the guided discussion that the therapist leads often prevents the whole thing from getting heated up.
The family may also receive a set of basic instructions on how to control their reactions toward each other after the session.
Depending on the results of the first visit, the therapist will propose a treatment plan with the type of therapy required to help the family.
Once everyone agrees on it, the family will follow a schedule of visits to improve their well-being.
How Can a Family Therapist Help After Drug Detox?
A loving family with one member struggling with substance use is among the most difficult situations. Drugs can completely blind someone’s judgment, leading to massive disconnections between the struggling family member and the rest of the family.
None of us is trained to handle a situation like that, and trial and error is anything but the suitable solution for a family’s needs here.
If you or someone you care about has a family with a struggling member, Allure Detox Treatment and Rehabilitation Center can provide the necessary help.
Do give us a call today or, if you happen to be near West Palm Beach, why don’t you visit us in person? We’d love to have you at 900 54th St N – West Palm Beach, FL 33407.
