Family Systems Therapy Techniques
Family therapy sessions can help families communicate better and create a more nurturing and healthy environment in the home. The concept of family systems therapy focuses on viewing the family as an emotional unit where every member relies on the other for support and good emotional health. This method of therapy has several different forms, and each one is practiced using a different method in order to improve family relationships.
Structural
This method of family systems therapy takes a close look at how the family behaves during the therapy session. It focuses on each person's behavior and any patterns that might be exhibited while in therapy. The purpose of this form of therapy is to allow the behaviorist or counselor to get a better observation and understanding of each family member through open discussion. This can help better determine if there are any underlying issues with parents or siblings and gives counselors a better insight into each person's unique feelings. Through structural family therapy, a recommendation can be made for progress through simple conversation and observation.
Strategic
The strategic method of therapy is a more hands-on experience where the therapist can take a closer look at how the family functions in different scenarios. There is an emphasis on evaluating how the family behaves outside of the therapy sessions in order to better determine what actions to take to make improvements. Using problem solving and intervention methods, the therapist can make suggestions for useful actions to be taken individually for each family member. With several sessions and a more direct approach to helping family members use proactive actions in the real world to improve their current situation, this method often sees changes occur more rapidly than in-office counseling alone.
Intergenerational
The concept of this form of family systems therapy understands that each generation has an influence on how the family behaves as a whole as well as each individual. The concept is that many times, family members deal with certain problems in a particular way due to previous generations and how they handled difficult situations. Since traditions are often passed down through the generations, this can also apply to the behavior shown in family members.
The counselor will ensure that there is no blame being placed on older family members, but instead encourages each person to look inward and determine how they can learn to break unhealthy patterns and begin to make positive changes individually. Through family therapy, people can better communicate and understand each other to create a more harmonious environment that will benefit everyone involved.
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