Family Therapy
Everybody has experienced problems within their family and close intimate relationships. When you are that close to another human being, the sharing of experiences and feelings can cause substantial stress. It may be only a matter of time before you need help from an outside source. Family therapy, then, may be the answer to your family problems.
Family therapy is defined as a type of psychotherapy that focuses on families and couples in close relationships, in hopes of bringing change and positive development. In other words, family therapy may help you better your relationships and understanding within your family and close relationships.
Since a significant amount of stress is common in the family, family therapy aims to involve families in solutions for problems. The overarching belief in all different forms of family therapy is that involving the family can bring out the strengths of the wider system. The use of family therapy is widespread, covering almost every relational or psychological problem with its family approach to psychotherapy.
What separates family therapy from other forms of psychotherapy is undoubtedly its approach to therapy. More specifically, therapists in family therapy focus on the dynamic of relationships between people, not the specific problems within one individual. They focus on the systems of individuals and the impact of their relationships, either negative or positive, on each other. The maintenance and solving of problems is more important to family therapists than the single cause of a problem. For example, a family therapist may see more than one family member at each session and aim to relate the conversations and patterns of each family member to the others.
Family therapy utilizes a wide range of many different counseling and therapy techniques. The rest of this article will help you understand some of the techniques that it uses:
1. Psychotherapy
As mentioned before, family therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the family and its intertwining relationships. Using psychotherapy, family therapists are likely to develop an interpersonal relationship with the members of the family, helping them better understand themselves and the problems between them. Using the other family members present, the therapist may find solutions to a specific problem that involve the participation of the family.
2. Personal Coaching
This technique uses questioning, reflection, and discussion to develop strategies and relationships. Personal coaching is designed to develop a relationship between the therapist and the client, in this case, the family.
3. Communication theory
In family therapy, communication theory refers to the benefits of transmitting information from one member of the family member to another. Communication of feelings and experiences can benefit clients through the expressing of troubling issues.
4. Media psychology
Media psychology is the seeking of an understanding of how people will perceive, interpret, and respond to a world filled with media. The goal is to identify benefits and problems related to media. In family therapy, then, the effect of media on the family has gotten so pervasive that family therapists have begun to study media psychology. This will help them better understand the issues of media affecting the family.
Will Lee
Counselor Network Writer