Family TherapyThe Family as a Whole
Family therapy begins with the assumption that experience is best understood and changed within its context, the family. The advantage of family therapy is that it offers a hands-on setting for addressing the changes individuals and/or families seek.
What Happens in Family Therapy
From a family therapy perspective, problems are addressed systemically. This means we consider difficulties to be the product of interactions between and among people rather than the product of one person's dysfunction. As a result, a family therapy session will focus on how people relate to each other and how their relating might prompt undesirable behavior. The focus is much more on how things transpire in the family than on simply what happens.
In the session, each individual's input is sought and valued. The session is designed to provide each participant enough safety to express things they might otherwise not express. The goal is to offer families an opportunity to experience themselves somewhat differently and thus begin the process of change.
Because family therapy includes several people in the session, often the therapy sessions are longer. This affords an opportunity for all family members to express themselves. Occasionally families are seen for an entire morning, afternoon or even weekend. These extended experiences are especially useful for families who are geographically distant from each other.
Problems Frequently Addressed
- Parenting Issues
- Problems Related to Life Transitions
- Problems Related to a Difficult Family History
- Substance Abuse