What is family therapy?

Family therapy is a form of group psychotherapy (talk therapy) that

focuses on the improvement of interfamilial relationships and
behaviors.

A family unit is a group of people who care about each other. In family
therapy, a group can consist of many different combinations of loved
ones, such as parents/guardians and their children, siblings,
grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, kinship caregivers, etc.

Therapy can help with situations such as:

 Adjusting to a new life change (like moving) or a medical

condition.
 Changes and challenges that come with aging.
 Death and grief.
 Relationship conflicts, such as parent-child conflict or sibling
conflict.

Mental health professionals also use family therapy to help treat

certain mental health or behavioral conditions for one person within
the family unit. For example, family therapy involving all or multiple
members of the family can help treat anorexia for one person in the
family.

Family therapy takes place with a trained, licensed mental health

professional, such as a psychologist, therapist or counselor, who has
specialized knowledge in working with families. Oftentimes, they’re
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs). Therapy can
provide support, education and guidance to you and your loved ones
to help you function better and increase your well-being.

There are several different types of family therapy that vary widely in
terms of therapy length, techniques and treatment goals.
What are the types of family therapy?
Mental health professionals use several forms of family therapy, and
many professionals specialize in certain types. The choice of therapy
type depends on your family’s particular needs and circumstances.
Therapists may combine elements from different therapeutic
approaches to best meet your needs.

Some forms of family therapy include:

 Functional family therapy (FFT): Therapists most often use this

type to help families with children who have behavioral issues.
FFT assesses the family dynamics that have contributed to a
child’s problematic behavior, improves family communication and
parenting skills, and supports positive reinforcement.
 Marriage counseling/couples therapy: This therapy involves
you and your spouse or romantic partner. Licensed Marriage and
Family Therapists (LMFTs) are specifically trained to help
couples determine their problems and work on solutions. Issues
may be related to communication, raising children, finances,
understanding your or your partner’s mental health condition and
more.
 Strategic family therapy: This is a short-term family therapy
that focuses on making positive structural and behavioral
changes in the family environment. It’s based on the foundation
that the family plays the most important role in the life and
development of children. Therapists may use this therapy form
for families with children who have behavioral issues.
 Structural family therapy: This type of therapy looks at the
inner relationships, boundaries and hierarchies within a family
unit (its structure). It focuses on direct interactions among your
family members as the primary way to bring about positive
change. The main foundation of structural family therapy is that
when guided by a therapist, families will discover their own
alternatives to their problematic patterns of relating to one
another.
 Systemic family therapy: The foundation of systemic family
therapy is considering the family’s issues in the different contexts
in which they live. For example, the therapist will consider how
 one family member functions as a partner in a romantic
relationship, as a parent and as a child to their parents. Context
also includes cultural, religious and political views, and socio-
economic status. This approach regards context as having the
most significance for your psychological development and
emotional well-being.

For families who are participating in therapy due to a mental health

condition, psychoeducation is a crucial part of the therapy.
Psychoeducation is the way that mental health professionals teach
people and their families about mental health conditions. It involves
basic information about the condition, causes, treatment and
prognosis (outlook).
What issues can family therapy help fix?

Families attend therapy for several different reasons. Problems that

family therapy can help fix include (but aren’t limited to):

 Strained relationships between family members.

 Stress.
 Anger.
 Communication issues.
 Trauma (physical or emotional).
 Coping with acute or chronic illness of a family member, such as
multiple sclerosis, cancer, stroke, chronic pain or an autoimmune
disease.
 The death of a loved one and grief.
 Divorce or romantic relationship issues.
 Coping with sudden changes, such as unemployment, moving or
incarceration.

Family therapy can be beneficial if a family member has any of the

following mental health conditions:

 Anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder

(OCD).
 Eating disorders, such as anorexia.
  Mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder and depression.
 Personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder.
 Schizophrenia.
 Substance use disorder.

It can also help childhood behavioral conditions, such as:

 Conduct disorder.
 Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD).
 Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

Families who have neurodivergent members, such as someone

with autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), also often participate in therapy.
How do I find a family therapist?

A family therapist is usually a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

(LMFT), but they can also be a psychologist, social worker or
counselor.

Finding the right therapist is often a time-consuming task. Try not to

become discouraged. Talk to people you trust to give you a referral for
a therapist, whether it’s your primary healthcare provider or a friend or
family member.

You can also search for family therapists online through local and
state psychological associations.

Be sure that any family therapist you’re interested in seeing is a state-

certified and licensed mental health professional and that they have
experience in treating your area of concern, such as divorce or
childhood behavioral conditions.

Most therapists’ websites list the conditions and situations they help
treat. If you have questions, call or email the therapist’s office before
you choose.

It may be helpful to ask a potential therapist the following questions:

 How long have you been providing therapy?
 What type of therapy do you recommend for my family?
 How much time will you initially ask my family to commit to the
entire therapy process?