Family Therapy
Family therapy is different from individual approaches in that it deals with the problems within the institute of family and works directly with the family members. Family therapy assumes that generally, all the family members are in some way involved in the problems, and that family members play important roles in the continuation or solution of the problem. This sort of therapy is sometimes carried out with the participation of all the family members, sometimes with some of the family members and sometimes with just one person on the family system. Family therapy usually results in mutual understanding among the family members and a better understanding of family relations. Moreover, family members’ problems are examined on the basis of their interactions. The purpose here is not to blame a family member or to see what the problem is, but to pin point the cycles in the family system that cause the continuation of the problem, and change them.
Family therapy is practiced, when required, to examine domestic dynamics and adjust them, and also to give support to individuals suffering from a chronic illness. For example, therapy given to the family of an individual suffering from such a psychological problem will not only serve as a means to deal with the illness, but serve as an information source as well.
Family therapy gives the family members the opportunity to come to terms with, and help one another. It focuses on the individuals’ accepting different aspects of each family member and regulating balance of living together, in which case the party who is getting the treatment is not the individuals, but the relationship networks the individuals are attached to. In certain situations, the therapist may call attention to problems the family members are not aware of and have them work on that point. At the same time, the therapist may call attention to the way the family members treat one another. Although research has shown that family therapy is effective in every kind of psychological problem, in general the problems that call for family therapy are: difficulties in bilateral relations within the family, problems arising from sharing responsibilities, or simply that one member’s problem affects the other members of the family (panic attack, animal phobia, anger management, depression etc.) are some of the examples. Also all kinds of trauma (loss, bankruptcy, accidents etc.) are in the field of study of family therapy.
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