What is Family Therapy and What Are Its Goals And Benefits PDF

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What is Family Therapy and What Are Its Goals And Benefits

Why family therapy… because it deals with family pain.” – Virginia Satir As the quote from Virginia Satir suggests, family therapy is necessary to address family pain and heal a family’s wounds. We all start this life with a family, whether that family is composed of blood relatives, adopted parents, or a foster family. This family that we acquire when we are born influences every aspect of our lives, from our first moments to our last. Our family affects who we are and who we become, both for the better and for worse. We learn our vocabulary, our habits, our customs and rituals, and how to view and observe the world around us. We also learn how to love, and how to interact with others from these first important relationships. If we are born into a healthy family with healthy relationships, we are likely to learn how to maintain healthy relationships. If we are born into a dysfunctional family that struggles to connect, we may also struggle to connect with others. While it is certainly unlucky to be born into the second kind of family, it’s not an unchangeable situation. Nearly all families deal with some sort of dysfunction at one time or another, yet most families retain or regain a sense of wholeness and happiness. Family therapy offers families a way to do this – a way to develop or maintain a healthy, functional family.

This article contains:         

What is Family Therapy / Family Counseling? What is a Family Counselor Trained For? What is the Goal of Family Therapy? Family Psychotherapy: Taking it One Step Further What are the Benefits of Family Therapy? 6 Examples and Exercises Recommended Books A Take Home Message References

What is Family Therapy / Family Counseling? Family therapy or family counseling is a form of treatment that is designed to address specific issues affecting the health and functioning of a family. It can be used to help a family through a difficult period of time, a major transition, or mental or behavioral health problems in family members (“Family Therapy”, 2014). As Dr. Michael Herkov explains, family therapy views individuals’ problems in the context of the larger unit: the family (2016). The assumption in this type of therapy is that problems cannot be successfully addressed or solved without understanding the dynamics of the group. The way the family operates influences how the client’s problems formed and how they are encouraged or enabled by the other members of the family.

Family therapy can employ techniques and exercises from cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, or other types of individual therapy. Like with other types of treatment, the techniques employed will depend on the specific problems the client or clients present with. Behavioral or emotional problems in children are common reasons to visit a family therapist. A child’s problems do not exist in a vacuum; they exist in the context of the family and will likely need to be addressed within the context of the family (Herkov, 2016). It should be noted that in family therapy or counseling, the term “family” does not necessarily mean blood relatives. In this context, “family” is anyone who “plays a long-term supportive role in one’s life, which may not mean blood relations or family members in the same household” (King, 2017).

According to Licensed Clinical Social Worker Laney Cline King, these are the most common types of family therapy: 

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Bowenian: this form of family therapy is best suited for situations in which individuals cannot or do not want to involve other family members in the treatment. Bowenian therapy is built on two core concepts, triangulation (the natural tendency to vent or destress by talking to a third party) and differentiation (learning to become less emotionally reactive in family relationships). Structural: Structural therapy focuses on adjusting and strengthening the family system to ensure that the parents are in control and that both children and adults set appropriate boundaries. In this form of therapy, the therapist “joins” the family in order to observe, learn, and enhance their ability to help the family strengthen their relationships. Systemic: The Systemic model refers to the type of therapy that focuses on the unconscious communications and the meaning behind family members’ behaviors. The therapist in this form of treatment is neutral and distant, allowing the family members to dive deeper into their issues and problems as a family. Strategic: This form of therapy is more brief and direct than the others, in which the therapist assigns homework to the family. This homework is intended to change the way family members interact, assess and adjust the way the family communicates and makes decisions. The therapist takes the position of power in this type of therapy, which allows other family members who may not usually hold as much power to communicate more effectively (King, 2017).

What is a Family Counselor Trained For?

“In this therapy, the therapist takes responsibility for the outcome of the therapy. This has nothing to do with good or bad, guilt or innocence, right or wrong. It is the simple acknowledgement that you make a difference.” – Eileen Bobrow As the different types of therapy described above show, a family therapist may be called upon to take on many different roles. These many roles require a family therapist to undergo a great deal of training, formal education, and testing to ensure that the therapist is up to the task.

While therapists may have differing methods and preferred treatment techniques, they must all have at least a minimum level of experience with the treatment of:        

Child and adolescent behavioral problems Grieving Depression and anxiety LGBTQ issues Domestic violence Infertility Marital conflicts Substance abuse (All Psychology Schools, 2017)

In order to treat these and other family issues, therapists must:       

Observe how people interact within units Evaluate and resolve relationship problems Diagnose and treat psychological disorders within a family context Guide clients through transitional crises such as divorce or death Highlight problematic relational or behavioral patterns Help replace dysfunctional behaviors with healthy alternatives Take a holistic (mind-body) approach to wellness (All Psychology Schools, 2017)

In order to gain the skills necessary to perform these functions, a family therapist usually obtains a bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology, sociology, or social work, followed by a master’s degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy. Next, the therapist will most likely need to complete two years of supervised work after graduation, for a total of 2,000 to 4,000 hours of clinical experience. When these requirements are met, the therapist will also likely need to pass a state-sanctioned exam, as well as completing annual continuing education courses.

This education and training will allow a therapist to help the clients who come to the therapist for guidance with a wide range of problems, including:      

Personal conflicts within couples or families Unexpected illness, death, or unemployment Developing or maintaining a healthy romantic relationship at any stage Behavioral problems in children Divorce or separation Substance abuse or addiction

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Mental health problems like depression and anxiety

This wide range of problems makes it clear that the answer to “What is a family therapist NOT trained to do?” may be shorter than the question of what they ARE trained to do! To learn more about how marriage and family therapists are trained and how they practice their craft, the following websites are great resources:     

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy website The All Psychology Schools website The Careers in Psychology website The Marriage and Family Therapist Licensure website The Learn website

What is the Goal of Family Therapy? “To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.” – Confucius In a nutshell, the goal of family therapy is: To work together to heal any mental, emotional, or psychological problems tearing your family apart.

(Lee, 2010) In order to help a family work together towards a healthy family life, family therapists aim to aid family members in improving communication, solving family problems, understanding and handling special family situations, and creating a better functioning home environment (Family Therapy, 2017A). More broadly, the goals of family therapy depend on the presenting problems of the clients. For example, the goals differ based on the following scenarios:  

A family member is suffering from schizophrenia or severe psychosis: The goal is to help other family members understand the disorder and adjust to the psychological changes that the patient may be undergoing. Problems arising from cross-generational boundaries, such as when parents share a home with grandparents, or children are being raised by grandparents: In this case, the goal is to improve communication and help the family members set healthy boundaries.

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Families deviating from social norms (unmarried parents, gay couples raising children, etc.): The goals here are not always to address any specific internal problems, but the family members may need help coping with external factors like societal attitudes. Family members who come from mixed racial, cultural, or religious backgrounds: The goal in this case is to help family members further their understanding of one another and develop healthy relationships. One member is being scapegoated or having their treatment in individual therapy undermined: When one family member is struggling with feeling like the outcast or receives limited support from other family members, the goal is to facilitate increased empathy and understanding for the individual within their family and provide support for them to continue their treatment. The patient’s problems seem inextricably tied to problems with other family members: In cases where the problem or problems are deeply rooted in problems with other family members, the goal is to address each of the contributing issues and solve or mitigate the effects of this pattern of problems. A blended family (i.e., step-family): Blended families can suffer from problems unique to their situations. In blended families, the goal of family therapy is to enhance understanding and facilitate healthy interactions between family members (Family Therapy, 2017B).

Family Psychotherapy: Taking it One Step Further We tend to think of therapy and psychotherapy as two different forms of treatment, but in fact, they are the same thing. This ambiguity is enhanced when we introduce the term “counseling” as well. In truth, therapy is simply a shortened form of the word “psychotherapy” (www.drpatrick.com). However, counseling is sometimes called “talk therapy,” blurring the lines even further (Eder, “What is the Difference”). Generally, counseling is applied in situations where an individual (or, in the case of family counseling, a family) engages the services of a counselor or other mental health professional to help with a specific problem or set of problems. Therapy, or psychotherapy, is a more in-depth and usually longterm form of treatment in which the client or clients discuss a wider range of issues and chronic patterns of problematic feelings, thoughts, and behaviors (Eder, “What is the Difference”). A family who is struggling with a situation that brings added stress, such as the death of a family member, addiction, or dire financial straits, may benefit from counseling to help them through their

struggle other side as a stronger and more cohesive unit.

s to emerge on the

If a family is struggling with more chronic mental or behavioral problems, such as a father dealing with schizophrenia, a mother fighting depression, or a child who has been abused, psychotherapy is likely the better choice.

This type of therapy is appropriate for families with problems such as these because a family therapist has a different perspective on treatment than an individual therapist. While the individual therapist works with one client on solving or curing a problem, the family therapist views problems in the context of the “system” of the family. To solve a problem in a system, you need to consider all parts of the system.

Fixing the alternator in a car will not fix the problem if it also has flat tires, a faulty transmission, and a plugged exhaust pipe. Issues within a family are similar to the car with several problems. A parent struggling with alcoholism is not a problem in isolation; the parent’s struggle has likely affected their spouse and their children as well. A family therapist believes that problems must be addressed at the level of the whole family rather than on an individual level (Schwartz, 2009).

What are the Benefits of Family Therapy? This more holistic approach to treating problems within a family has proven to be extremely effective in many cases. In family therapy, families can work on their problems with the guidance of a mental health professional in a safe and controlled environment. The benefits of family therapy include:     

Better understanding of healthy boundaries and family patterns and dynamics Enhanced communication Improved problem solving Deeper empathy Reduced conflict and better anger management skills (10 Acre Ranch, 2017)

More specifically, family therapy can improve the family relationships through:        

Bringing the family together after a crisis Creating honesty between family members Instilling trust in family members Developing a supportive family environment Reducing sources of tension and stress within the family Helping family members forgive each other Conflict resolution for family members Bringing back family members who have been isolated (American Addiction Centers, 2017).

In addition, family therapy can enhance skills required for healthy family functioning, including communication, conflict resolution, and problem solving. Improving these skills for each member of the family increases the potential for success in overcoming or addressing family problems. In family therapy, the focus is on providing all family members with the tools they need to facilitate healing (Teen Treatment Center, 2014).

6 Examples and Exercises If family therapy sounds like a treatment that would benefit you and your loved ones, the best course of action is to find a licensed professional with whom you can build a good working relationship and address the problems your family is facing. However, if you’re not quite ready for this step or there are obstacles between you and getting treatment, there are many exercises and suggestions that you may find to be a good alternative. The exercises and techniques below are meant to be used within the context of a therapeutic working relationship, but some also have applications for those who wish to explore the possibilities of family therapy before committing to a long-term treatment with a therapist. If you are a therapist or other mental health professional, you may find these exercises to be useful additions to your therapy toolbox.

The Miracle Question This exercise can be used in individual, couples, or family therapy, and is intended to help the client(s) explore the type of future they would like to build. We all struggle at times, but sometimes the struggle is greater because we simply do not know what our goals actually are. The Miracle Question is an excellent way to help the client or clients probe their own dreams and desires. When used in the context of couples or family therapy, it can aid clients in understanding what they significant other or family member needs in order to be happy with their relationship. This Miracle Question is posed as follows:

“Suppose tonight, while you slept, a miracle occurred. When you awake tomorrow, what would be some of the things you would notice that would tell you life had suddenly gotten better?” (Howes, 2010)

While the client may give an answer that is an impossibility in their waking life, their answer can still be useful. If they do give an impossible answer, the therapist can dive deeper into the clients’ preferred miracle with this question: “How would that make a difference?” This question aids both the client and the therapist – the client in envisioning a positive future in which their problems are addressed or mitigated, and the therapist in learning how they can best help their client in their sessions. You can learn more about this exercise at this link.

Colored Candy Go Around If you’re looking for a fun and creative icebreaker or introduction to family therapy, this exercise can be a great way to start. To engage in this exercise with your family, you need a package of Skittles, M&Ms, or a similar colorful candy. Distribute seven pieces to each family member, and instruct them to sort their candy by color (and refraining from eating it just yet!). Next, ask a family member to pick a color and share how man they have. For however many candies of this color they have, instruct them to give the same number of responses to the following prompts based on the color:     

Green – words to describe your family Purple – ways your family has fun Orange – things you would like to improve about your family Red – things you worry about Yellow – favorite memories with your family

When the first family member has given their answers, tell them to choose the next family member to answer the same prompt based on the number of candies that person has. Once the prompt has been answered, the candies can be eaten. When all family members have responded to these prompts, initiate a discussion based on the answers provided by the family. The following questions can facilitate discussion: 1.

What did you learn?

2. 3.

What was the most surprising thing you learned about someone else? How will you work towards making changes/improvements?

Given the high sugar content in this exercise, you can see that this is a great game to play with young children! If this sounds like a useful exercise that you would like to try with your family, you can find further information and instructions on page 3 of this PDF from therapist Liana Lowenstein.

Emotions Ball This is a simple exercise, requiring only a ball and a pen or marker to write with. You may even recognize it, as it is frequently used with children and teenagers in many contexts, as it takes the pressure off of talking about emotions for those who may be uncomfortable sharing their feelings. A beach ball is a perfect ball for this activity, as it is big enough to write several emotions on and it is easy to throw back and forth in a circle. Write several emotions on the ball, such as “joyful,” “lonely,” “silly,” or “sad.” Gather your family into a circle and begin to toss the ball back and forth between family members. When a family member catches the ball, have them describe a time when they felt the emotion facing them. Alternatively, you could have the catcher act out an emotion, an activity especially suited for children. The intent of this exercise is to discuss emotions with your family, and practice listening to one another and expressing your feelingThe Family Gift This exercise can help a therapist to get to know a family better. If you are using it without the guidance of a therapist, it can help you to further your understanding o...