What is it?

The field of family therapy is relatively new compared to individual, group, and couple counseling. The field of psychology was founded on an individual counseling model, which remains the common perception today. In many situations, individual therapy is the appropriate approach to counseling. However, it is not always what is necessary. Family therapy has unique characteristics that make it better for certain situations. This is especially true for therapy that involves children or teenagers. Here are some of the ways that family therapy can be uniquely beneficial to achieving goals in counseling. 

What Does it Look Like?

A misconception about family therapy is that it restricts counseling to family sessions. This is not the case. Family therapy can involve many variations in who participates during a session. A counselor who is trained in family therapy has the benefit of being able to invite whoever would be most beneficial into the session. This can look like a session with only the siblings, only parents, one individual, etc. The flexibility to work with different combinations of people is one of the greatest benefits of family counseling. 

Like other forms of therapy, Family therapy begins with a comprehensive assessment of the presenting problem, relationships, and other factors that may impact the problem. Next, the family will create goals for counseling. Depending on the goals and needs of the family, therapy can take many different forms. I customize my approach for each family I work with.

Building Hope

One of the greatest predictors of success in counseling is hope. To achieve a goal, one must believe it is possible. Family therapy has the benefit of everyone working towards a common goal. This inspires hope because no one feels targeted or that they are the only one who is “problematic”. This is especially valuable for children and teens not motivated to participate in individual counseling. When other family members participate, the teen/ child can feel better supported and more motivated to make changes.

The Effect of the Family

A common belief is that mental health is the result of internal issues a person is dealing with. While internal beliefs, thoughts, and emotions play a role in a person’s mental health, they are not the only factor. A person’s internal psychology is highly influenced by environmental factors. Imagine being on a beach with your schedule free and a week of vacation ahead of you. You will think and feel differently in this situation than in a pointless meeting at work. Now imagine that you are on the same beach, and the person you like the least will be your roommate for the remainder of the vacation. Your thoughts and feelings probably change from calm optimism about the week to frustrated annoyance at the prospect of this person ruining your vacation. Relationships and environment have a huge impact on our mental health and for this reason, family therapy is often the most effective approach to working with teens and children. Family therapy allows for modifications in relationships and environment that are impossible to achieve in individual therapy. 

May Save Time and Money

While therapy is never a “quick fix” it is always nice to save time and money by not having it take longer than necessary. For teens and children, family therapy may be able to decrease the number of sessions required to achieve the desired goals. Family therapy may allow the root of the problem to be more easily assessed and addressed. When the whole family is participating in counseling it is easier for patterns and relational blocks to manifest that may be difficult to see in individual counseling. It is not uncommon for mental health difficulties in teens and children to be related to patterns and relationships within the family. By having the family participate, the therapist can assess and address these factors, which may result in quicker and more effective counseling. 

Book Today!

Family therapy allows for flexible, hopeful, and effective counseling. This is especially true for teens and children. Not all therapists are trained to provide family therapy. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am uniquely trained to provide quality and effective family therapy. I most often use structural family therapy and emotionally focused family therapy in my practice. If you are experiencing relationship distress, distance with family members, or are worried about the mental health of your teen or child, please reach out!