FAMILY COUNSELING

The goals of family therapy depend on the presenting problems of the clients. Some common reasons why people seek out family counseling: 

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• A family member is suffering from mental illness  

• Problems arising from cross-generational boundaries, such as when parents share a home with grandparents, or children are being raised by grandparents

• Family members who come from mixed racial, cultural, or religious backgrounds

• One member is being scapegoated or having their treatment in individual therapy undermined

• The client's problems seem closely tied to problems with other family members (e.g., sibling conflict, family with substance abuse)

• A blended family (i.e., step-family)

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Family therapy differs from other modes of therapy (individual and relationship) as its focus is on making change across the entire family system. It focuses on the family as a whole to help not just the individual family members but also address the relationships within the family. Family therapy aims to help change how each member thinks about their relationships with one another and also how they interact with each other. Improvements made in family therapy can be long-lasting as each person who makes change will continue to influence the other family members.