Family Therapy Techniques and Benefits

Family therapy counseling is a form of psychotherapy that is designed to heal dysfunction, chronic conflict and difficult situations that occur within the family unit.

While family therapy isn’t quite as mainstream as individual therapy, it’s equally as important. The majority of our day-to-day thoughts, beliefs, habits, coping mechanisms and more are learned from our families; they’re patterns that are observed and (often subconsciously) adopted throughout our childhoods.

There are many different benefits to family therapy and, depending on the nature of the family and why exactly they’re in therapy, there will be different family therapy techniques used. 

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at the most common family therapy techniques and the different benefits of family therapy, and walk you through how you can get started today.

Benefits of family therapy

The truth is, no family is perfect, so every family could benefit from some kind of family therapy. 

We can always improve our communication skills, learn how to better resolve conflicts, develop healthier coping and problem-solving skills, and practice greater kindness and patience. 

Additional benefits of family therapy include:

• Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries
• Greater empathy and respect for one another
• Reducing misunderstandings and conflicts
• Forming healthier, more positive family dynamics
• Healing from old conflicts or unresolved wounds
• Strengthening relationships and the family overall

While attending family therapy might not sound like the most fun activity in the world, it’s never a waste of time to invest in your personal and family-unit healing.

Family therapy techniques

A few of the most common techniques are structural family therapy, strategic family therapy, solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, emotion-focused therapy and family therapy for addiction.

Structural family therapy focuses on the different patterns of behavior within a family, specifically in the sense of how those behaviors affect others. With this technique, the therapist helps the family recognize negative patterns and take steps to not only eliminate them but replace them with positive patterns.

Strategic family therapy focuses on changing the dynamic of the family overall, rather than focusing on changing individual behaviors. This technique views the family as a whole unit, a system composed of communication patterns and behavioral habits; the therapist works collaboratively with the family as a whole to improve the family dynamic.

Solution-focused family therapy revolves around the idea that families already possess the resources and abilities they need to overcome their challenges, they just need some additional guidance to access them. With this technique, the therapist will help the family implement small, but significant changes that will overall lead to long-lasting positive change.

Narrative family therapy focuses on the “stories” families tell and believe about their familial experiences and relationships. What we think matters, but what we think isn’t always true. A therapist in this setting helps the family identify, question and reframe the narratives they’re telling about themselves or their family members to foster stronger relationships.

Emotion-focused family therapy adopts a collaborative and empathetic approach to helping families understand the importance of healthy emotional interactions. With this technique, a therapist works closely with a family to create a safe and supportive environment for them to overcome negative emotional patterns and develop greater emotional intimacy.

While these are among the most common family therapy techniques, are also specific techniques for traumatic experiences, such as family therapy for addiction and sexual abuse.

Find family therapy counseling near you

If you think you and your family could benefit from family therapy, consider reaching out to our team here at Pyramid Online Counseling. We know this next step can be challenging, especially if there are family members who are reluctant or outright refuse to receive external support, but we’re here to help.

Pyramid Online Counseling specializes in providing telehealth services to families so that you can engage in counseling and psychiatric care from the comfort of your own home. Our team of highly qualified individuals works with children, adolescents and adults to be able to support each member of the family individually, and help restore the overall family unit.

To learn more about which of our services is the best fit for you, fill out this form today and one of our advisors will reach out to share how we can best help you on your path to wellness.