Strategic family therapy is a goal-oriented approach focused on resolving specific, short-term problems within a family. In this modality, the therapist takes a directive role, guiding the sessions and developing a detailed plan to address the issues of each family member.

Strategic Family Therapy

Structural family therapy is a therapeutic approach where the therapist analyzes the family's boundaries and structure. This involves examining aspects such as who establishes the rules, how decisions are made, and the nature of boundaries within the family unit. This method is particularly useful when parental conflict, such as one parent undermining the other, leads to children's behavioral issues. The therapist's role is to guide the family in resolving these structural problems and fostering more effective communication. The therapy also utilizes enactment—direct interactions between family members—to facilitate positive change, operating on the principle that families can find their own solutions when provided with the right therapeutic environment.

Structural Family Therapy

Read the following case study about a family therapy session. Based on the therapist's methods, which of the two primary therapeutic approaches described in your studies is being used? Justify your answer by citing specific actions from the scenario.

Identifying Therapeutic Approaches in Family Counseling

* Structural family therapy
* Strategic family therapy

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Family therapy is a specialized form of group therapy involving one or more families. It is often sought when dysfunctional communication patterns lead to conflict, or when one member's personal struggles—such as depression, an eating disorder, or alcohol dependence—detrimentally affect the entire family system. In these sessions, a therapist works collaboratively with all family members to help them cope with the central issue and foster resolution and growth for both the individual and the family unit.

Family Therapy

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

DDP is a therapy, parenting approach and model for practice that uses what we know about attachment and developmental trauma to help children and families with their relationships. It is usually used with children who experienced developmental trauma. 

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)

A form of group therapy in which two or more family members meet with two or more therapists at once. 

Multiple Family Therapy

Refer to licensed mental health practitioners with training in psychotherapy and family systems. They are qualified to identify and treat mental and emotional issues in the context of marriage, couples, and family systems. They view the individual as part of a system and address their characteristics and roles in primary relationship networks, such as the family. 

Marriage and Family Therapists

Types of Family Therapy

The systems approach is a predominant theory in family therapy that views the family as an organized, interconnected system. According to this model, each family member's behavior is shaped by the system's processes, and in turn, each individual influences and is influenced by all other members. The goal of this approach is to promote the growth of each person and the family unit as a whole.

Systems Approach in Family Therapy

Within a family unit, the development of dysfunctional communication patterns can often be a source of significant conflict. When these negative interaction styles become entrenched, a family may choose to pursue therapy collectively to address and improve their communication dynamics.

Dysfunctional Communication as a Rationale for Family Therapy

In family therapy, it is common for the struggles of one individual to have a widespread impact on the entire family. For instance, issues such as a parent's depression, a teenager's eating disorder, or a parent's alcohol dependency can create challenges that affect all family members, highlighting the interconnectedness of the family system.

Examples of Individual Problems Affecting the Family System

Family therapy sessions typically involve the nuclear family, which consists of parents and children. However, treatment can also extend to include other members of the household, such as a grandparent, to address the family unit as a whole.

Participants in Family Therapy

A family seeks professional help because their teenage son has become increasingly defiant and is failing his classes. During the initial consultation, the parents express constant disagreement over discipline, and the younger daughter mentions feeling ignored. A therapist approaching this situation from a systemic perspective would most likely prioritize which of the following?

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