# Lesson Plan: Introduction to Family Therapy
## Grade Level/Target Audience
- Graduate students in counseling/psychology programs or practicing therapists
seeking professional development
## Duration
- 90 minutes
## Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, participants will be able to:
1. Define family therapy and its core principles, including systems theory and
communication patterns.
2. Identify at least three common family therapy approaches (e.g., structural,
strategic, narrative).
3. Apply basic family therapy techniques through role-play and case study analysis.
4. Develop a simple family therapy treatment plan addressing a specific family
issue.
## Materials Needed
- Projector or screen for presentation
- Handout: "Overview of Family Therapy Approaches" (summarizing structural,
strategic, and narrative therapy)
- Case study scenarios (pre-prepared)
- Whiteboard or flip chart
- Markers
- Family Therapy Worksheet (e.g., genogram template or conflict resolution activity
sheet)
## Lesson Outline
### 1. Introduction (10 minutes)
- **Objective**: Introduce family therapy and its significance.
- **Activity**:
- Brief lecture: Define family therapy as a psychotherapeutic approach focusing
on improving family relationships and resolving conflicts by addressing systemic
patterns. Highlight its roots in the 1950s and its focus on family dynamics rather
than individual pathology.[](https://www.scribd.com/document/858194319/Family-
therapy)
- Share a statistic: "Family therapy can reduce relapse rates in mental health
conditions like schizophrenia by up to 20% when families are involved in
treatment."[](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7001353/)
- **Discussion Prompt**: Ask participants, "What challenges might families face
that could benefit from therapy?"
### 2. Core Concepts and Approaches (20 minutes)
- **Objective**: Understand the theoretical foundations and common approaches.
- **Activity**:
- Presentation: Explain key principles (systems theory, communication patterns,
family roles) and three major approaches:
- **Structural Family Therapy**: Focuses on restructuring family hierarchies
and boundaries.[](https://www.carepatron.com/templates/family-therapy-
interventions-handout)
- **Strategic Family Therapy**: Emphasizes changing interaction patterns to
achieve specific goals.[](https://www.carepatron.com/templates/family-therapy-
interventions-handout)
- **Narrative Therapy**: Helps families reframe their stories to promote
healing.[](https://positivepsychology.com/family-therapy/)
- Distribute handout summarizing these approaches.
- **Engagement**: Quick poll—ask participants which approach resonates most with
their current understanding of therapy.
### 3. Techniques in Family Therapy (25 minutes)
- **Objective**: Explore practical techniques used in family therapy.
- **Activity**:
- Interactive Demonstration: Introduce two techniques:
1. **Genogram Creation**: Mapping family relationships and patterns across
generations.
2. **Role-Playing**: Practicing communication skills to resolve conflicts.
- Group Activity: Divide participants into small groups. Provide a case study
(e.g., a family with parent-child conflict or a member with a mental health
diagnosis). Each group creates a genogram and suggests one intervention technique.
[](https://www.carepatron.com/blog/family-therapy-worksheet-examples-2023)
- Debrief: Groups share their findings, and instructor highlights how techniques
align with therapy goals.
### 4. Developing a Family Therapy Treatment Plan (25 minutes)
- **Objective**: Practice creating a structured treatment plan.
- **Activity**:
- Guided Exercise: Provide a sample family scenario (e.g., a family dealing with
adolescent behavioral issues). Walk through the steps of creating a treatment plan:
1. Gather family history and dynamics.
2. Identify specific problems (e.g., communication breakdowns).
3. Set measurable goals (e.g., improve parent-child communication).
4. Choose interventions (e.g., role-playing, psychoeducation).
5. Plan follow-up sessions to track
progress.[](https://www.carepatron.com/templates/family-therapy-treatment-plans)
- Worksheet: Participants complete a Family Therapy Worksheet to outline their
treatment plan for the scenario.
- **Discussion**: Share and critique plans in pairs, focusing on feasibility and
alignment with family needs.
### 5. Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 minutes)
- **Objective**: Consolidate learning and plan for application.
- **Activity**:
- Q&A: Address participant questions about family therapy applications.
- Reflection Prompt: "How might you integrate one family therapy technique into
your current or future practice?"
- Provide resource list: Recommend texts like *Family Therapy Skills and
Techniques in Action* and websites like Carepatron for free
templates.[](https://www.academia.edu/77540870/Family_Therapy_Skills_and_Techniques
_in_Action)[](https://www.carepatron.com/templates/family-therapy-treatment-plans)
[](https://www.carepatron.com/templates/family-therapy-interventions-handout)
- **Homework**: Participants draft a one-page family therapy treatment plan for a
hypothetical family, to be reviewed in the next session.
## Assessment
- Participation in group activities and discussions.
- Completion of Family Therapy Worksheet with a clear treatment plan.
- Quality of reflection responses and homework submission.
## Resources
- Carepatron: Free Family Therapy Treatment Plan PDF
template.[](https://www.carepatron.com/templates/family-therapy-treatment-plans)
- Therapist Aid: Family Questions Activity
Worksheet.[](https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheet/family-questions)
- *Family Therapy Skills and Techniques in Action*
(2017).[](https://www.academia.edu/77540870/Family_Therapy_Skills_and_Techniques_in
_Action)
- Positive Psychology: Family therapy resources and
exercises.[](https://positivepsychology.com/family-therapy/)
## Notes for Instructor
- Encourage active participation by creating a safe, nonjudgmental space.
- Adapt case studies to reflect diverse family structures and cultural backgrounds.
- Ensure all participants have access to handouts and worksheets in digital or
print format.
