Family Therapy
Family therapy is a form of talk therapy that focuses on the improvement of relationships among family members. It can also help treat specific mental health or behavioral conditions, such as substance use disorder or oppositional defiant disorder. Family therapy can involve any combination of family members.
What is family therapy?
Family therapy is a form of group psychotherapy (talk therapy) that focuses on the improvement of interfamilial relationships and behaviors.
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A family unit is a group of people who care about each other. In family therapy, a group can consist of many different combinations of loved ones, such as parents/guardians and their children, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, kinship caregivers, etc.
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Therapy can help with situations such as:
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Adjusting to a new life change (like moving) or a medical condition.
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Changes and challenges that come with aging.
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Death and grief.
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Relationship conflicts, such as parent-child conflict or sibling conflict.
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Mental health professionals also use family therapy to help treat certain mental health or behavioral conditions for one person within the family unit. For example, family therapy involving all or multiple members of the family can help treat anorexia for one person in the family.
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Family therapy takes place with a trained, licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist, therapist or counselor, who has specialized knowledge in working with families. Oftentimes, they’re Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs). Therapy can provide support, education and guidance to you and your loved ones to help you function better and increase your well-being.