​What is Family and Systemic Psychotherapy?

 

Family and systemic psychotherapy – also known as family therapy – can help those in close relationships to better understand and support each other. It enables family members to express and explore difficult thoughts and emotions safely, understand each other’s experiences and views, appreciate each other’s needs, build on family strengths, and work together to make useful changes in their relationships and their lives.

 

Family Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps families improve communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen their relationships. It involves working with all or some family members to address specific issues that affect the family system, such as relationship problems, behavioral challenges in children, mental health issues, or major life changes like divorce or loss

 

.Family therapy focuses on understanding how family dynamics influence individual behavior and how patterns within the family can be changed to improve the overall well-being of each member. It aims to create a supportive environment where families can openly discuss their concerns, enhance their connections, and build healthier, more functional relationships.​

 

Who is Family and Systemic Psychotherapy for?

Family and Systemic Psychotherapy can work with people in any form of relationship:

• Couples

• Families

• Groups

• Carers

• Professional groups

• Teams

• Businesses

 

Family therapy is particularly effective for child and adult-focused problems. It can deal with a range of problems including:

• Sleep and Feeding (for babies)

• Attachment

• Child abuse

• Eating disorders

• School related difficulties

• Relationship distress

• Alcohol and drug misuse

 

What difficulties are helped by Family Therapy?

Research shows Family Therapy is useful for children, young people, adults and older adults experiencing a wide range of difficulties and interpersonal issues and circumstances, across the family life cycle including:

• Couple relationship difficulties

• Child and adolescent mental health issues

• Adult mental health issues

• Child, adolescent and adult behaviour difficulties

• Parenting issues

• Illness and disability in the family

• Separation, divorce and step-family life

• Fostering, adoption, kinship care and the needs of ‘looked after’ children

• Self-harm

• The effects of trauma

• Physical illness, death, dying and bereavement

• Difficulties related to ageing and other life cycle changes​​

 

 

Source: What is Family Therapy and Systemic Practice? - Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (aft.org.uk)