Familiy Counselling Global

Family therapy, also known as family counselling, is a branch of psychotherapy that seeks to improve communication and resolve conflicts within a family.

This therapeutic approach views the family as a single emotional unit, asserting that individual problems cannot be separated from the family context.

Family therapy derives its roots from systems theory, which asserts that each part of a system is interconnected, and a change in one part can lead to changes in others.

Similarly, a family is seen as a system of relationships and interactions that affect each member’s behaviours, feelings, and mental health.

Family therapy aims to help family members improve communication, understand and manage special family situations (like losing a loved one, physical or mental condition, or child and young adult issues), and create a better-functioning home environment.

In family therapy, therapists often work with multiple family members, both in group sessions and individual consultations, to identify patterns of interaction and devise strategies to address and improve problematic dynamics.

Remember, family therapy is not about assigning blame or identifying a single person as the cause of the issues. Instead, it’s about understanding how the family as a whole operates, the dynamics at play, and how these factors contribute to the problems encountered by family members.

This understanding paves the way for collective healing and growth, fostering healthier relationships within the family.

Family therapy is an expansive field with various therapeutic models, each addressing different aspects of family relationships, interactions, and dynamics.

Here are some of the most widely recognised types of family therapy:

1. Structural Family Therapy (SFT): Developed by Salvador Minuchin, SFT focuses on the structure and organisation of a family. This approach aims to identify the patterns of interaction that define a family and then, if necessary, reshape these patterns to improve overall family functioning.
2. Strategic Family Therapy (SFT): Strategic family therapy is a fast-paced, brief form of therapy that focuses on resolving specific problems. The therapist helps the family devise and implement carefully designed strategies to address the issues at hand.
3. Systemic Family Therapy (SFT): Also known as Milan systemic family therapy, this approach views problems within the context of the larger system of the family, school, work, and community. The therapy seeks to address problematic behaviours by understanding the underlying systemic influences.
4. Narrative Family Therapy: Originating from the work of Michael White and David Epston, narrative therapy centres around the “stories” that individuals and families tell about their lives. The therapy aims to help the family construct new, more positive narratives about themselves and their relationships.
5. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT): SFBT is future-focused and goal-directed. It helps individuals and families to focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. The therapy typically involves setting specific, achievable goals and developing strategies to reach those goals.
6. Bowenian Family Therapy: Based on the work of Murray Bowen, this therapy revolves around two core concepts, differentiation of self and triangulation. The treatment reduces anxiety and increases family members’ ability to function independently and interdependently.
7. Transgenerational Family Therapy: This therapy addresses issues and patterns passed down through generations of a family. It helps family members understand and modify unhealthy ways of relating and behaving inherited from previous generations.

These therapeutic models provide unique insights and tools for addressing family problems and enhancing family relationships.

The choice of the therapeutic approach depends on the specific issues, family structure, and goals of the therapy. It’s important to remember that a trained professional should always provide family therapy.