Family Therapy

Intro text: Family therapy is a form of talk therapy that helps individuals and their loved ones navigate difficult times, whether due to mental health concerns or life circumstances. Family therapy uses a range of approaches to address the unique needs of various family units. Chief benefits include improved communication, clearer boundaries, and behavior modification.
Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Written by: Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L on March 19, 2026

Jennifer Brown

Reviewed by: Jennifer Brown on April 15, 2026

Updated On: March 19, 2026

7 min read

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Key takeaways:

  • Family therapy can help individuals and their loved ones overcome mental health concerns and challenging life circumstances.
  • As with any form of talk therapy, family therapy providers may use a range of approaches, including narrative, strategic, structural, transgenerational, cognitive-behavioral, and attachment-based styles.
  • Family therapy is known to boost communication among members while teaching valuable coping and parenting skills. Members also learn to establish healthy boundaries and strengthen their relationships.

Understanding family therapy

Family therapy is a form of talk therapy (also known as psychotherapy or counseling) intended to help individuals with mental health conditions, as well as their loved ones. Family therapy focuses on improving communication and strengthening bonds between family members. [2] As with many forms of talk therapy, family therapy involves a range of therapeutic approaches depending on the needs and priorities of each person involved.

How does family therapy work?

Family therapy is based on Family Systems Theory, which views the family as an intricate social system with interrelated parts. This theory states that any problems one family member experiences have a marked effect on others in the unit, making it so one part of the family cannot be understood on its own. [1] [2] Therefore, each family member must play an active role in therapy to achieve optimal results. [3]

What is it used for?

Family therapy can resolve tension and arguments within the family unit. As such, family therapy may be used after divorce, loss of a loved one, relocation, remarriage, addition of a new family member, and other life transitions. Family therapy can be beneficial for individuals who have substance use disorders, as these conditions especially have a ripple effect on loved ones. In some instances, this type of therapy may be recommended by a judge as part of a divorce or custody case. Individuals facing criminal charges related to domestic violence or substance use concerns may also be referred to family therapy.

How common is family therapy?

Differing sources have reported on the prevalence of families attending therapy. Some note that between 30 and 40% of families have received family therapy. While these numbers are just estimates and the actual numbers can be difficult to discern, the demand for marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) supports these statistics. [7] The number of LMFTs, the mental health providers who most commonly offer this type of therapy, has sharply increased since the 1970s.

Types of family therapy

There are several types of family therapy mental health professionals may use depending on the family’s core problem(s). These include: [4] [5]

  • Attachment-based therapy: This trauma-informed style helps identify and address attachment problems at the root of adolescent depression, trauma, and suicidality.
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy: As a common form of talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral family therapy aims to address maladaptive behaviors within the family unit through improved communication.
  • Narrative therapy: Narrative, or postmodern, therapy involves lessening stigma associated with certain beliefs by challenging traditional views of family.
  • Strategic therapy: This style (also called systemic therapy) uses collaborative, critical thinking to develop a solution that benefits the entire family unit.
  • Structural therapy: Designed for nuclear families, this style helps family members form stronger boundaries and establish roles.
  • Transgenerational therapy: Transgenerational therapy examines the beliefs a family holds that have been passed down over generations, which can help address long-standing family conflict.

Family therapy involves a combination of child-focused, family-based, and traditional activities. Child-focused activities are ideal for youth who have difficulty attending to structured conversations, while family-based activities emphasize teamwork and functional tasks. [4] A family-based activity, such as cooking dinner together, allows the therapist to observe how the family operates on a regular basis. Traditional activities during family therapy may involve passing around an object that allows only one member to speak at a time.

Benefits of family therapy

Family therapy is known to help family units in a range of ways. Research shows this form of therapy improves communication, promotes behavior modification, teaches families about psychoeducational strategies and resources, strengthens bonds, and develops clearer boundaries among family members. [4]

Family therapy not only helps the unit interact more healthily, but also promotes individual growth and development. In the case of long-standing generational patterns that contribute to mental health concerns, family therapy can break cycles of trauma and dysfunction. Individuals who participate in family therapy may experience a stronger sense of self, control, and emotion regulation. [3]

Risks, limitations, and flaws

As with any form of counseling, family therapy is not the best fit for everyone. Some family members may be resistant to change, reluctant to participate, and skeptical of the therapist’s treatment style. This presents a special set of challenges for providers, who need to respond appropriately so these reactions do not affect the other members. [3] In addition, family therapy may contradict certain cultures’ views on established roles, privacy, hierarchy, and gender norms. [6]

Is there anyone who shouldn’t participate in family therapy?

If family members cannot overcome initial or periodic hesitance, they may not be a good fit for this modality. Family therapy is also not a good fit for individuals who have acute or severe mental health concerns or active substance use disorders, as individual therapy is more appropriate in these cases. This is also not recommended for family members who fear for their safety due to persistent violence in the home. [5]

How long does family therapy last?

Family therapy sessions may last anywhere between 50 and 90 minutes. The exact length depends on the therapist's approach and clinic protocols, as well as the complexity and number of core concerns being managed in therapy. Some family therapy approaches are more brief and may last for a set number of visits, usually around 12 or 15. Other forms of family therapy, especially those addressing complex, multifaceted family and mental health concerns, may last for months or over a year. This is typically required to address concerns in enough depth to be effective.

Skills and learning opportunities in family therapy

Communication skills are the most commonly addressed area covered in family therapy. In addition, family members can also help one another learn about and apply new coping skills during distressing times. [5] Family therapy may also focus on improving parenting skills and minimizing the risk of harm to family members. Family members can learn how to assist with emotion regulation and, eventually, self-reflection skills to improve distress tolerance in young children.

Finding a family therapist

If you are interested in family therapy, you can ask your healthcare provider for recommendations. Psychiatrists and primary care providers, such as medical doctors and nurse practitioners, should be able to offer a list of family therapists in your local area. These providers can also write you a referral or a prescription if you need one for insurance coverage. However, you can find a provider and begin family therapy without this, which is often preferable for individuals who pay out of pocket for services. While we mentioned marriage and family therapists as providers who offer this service, other mental health professionals typically can also provide family therapy alongside individual and sometimes even group therapy.

These providers include licensed professional counselors (LPCs), social workers (LCSWs), and licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs). Each of these professionals is qualified to provide family therapy, though they may be limited by their practice, as some organizations may offer only individual sessions to accommodate scheduling.

When is the right time to seek a family therapist?

If you and your family are at odds and frequently fighting, either due to a traumatic event or for lesser-known reasons, you may be a good fit for family therapy. If members of your family avoid one another, have experienced conflicts that have never been properly resolved, have recently been diagnosed with a mental health concern, or are struggling with substance use disorders, it may be a good time to seek professional intervention.

Family therapy is also a great option for family members who are on speaking terms but are not seeing eye to eye. In many cases, family therapy seems like a natural next step in response to significant life transitions and changes that all members are having difficulty adjusting to.

Final thought

Family therapy is an appropriate option for family members who have difficulty communicating and may argue frequently. Family therapy may be a helpful adjunct to individual therapy and can assist with the management of mental health concerns, substance use disorders, and life transitions. If you believe your family unit may be a good fit for family therapy, contact a healthcare provider for recommendations. You can also seek out this type of therapy on your own and can weigh which options are best for the needs of you and your family.

References

  1. 1.

    Adoption and child health and psychosocial well-being

    McGinnis, H.A., & Wright, A.W. (2023). Adoption and child health and psychosocial well-being. Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Health (First Edition). Academic Press, pp 582-598. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818872-9.00115-1.

    Source: Academic Press

    https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818872-9.00115-1

  2. 2.

    Stress in families of children with sepsis

    Long, L.E. (2003). Stress in families of children with sepsis. Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America, 15(1), 47-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-5885(02)00041-200041-2).

    Source: Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America

    https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-5885(02)00041-200041-2

  3. 3.

    Understanding Family Systems Theory: Applications in Counseling

    Oklahoma City University. (2024). Understanding Family Systems Theory: Applications in Counseling. Retrieved from https://online.okcu.edu/clinical-mental-health-counseling/blog/understanding-family-systems-theory-applications-in-counseling

    Source: Oklahoma City University

    https://online.okcu.edu/clinical-mental-health-counseling/blog/understanding-family-systems-theory-applications-in-counseling

  4. 4.

    Family Therapy Theories & Types

    Palo Alto University. (n.d.). Family Therapy Theories & Types. Retrieved from https://concept.paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog/family-therapy-theory-types-family-therapy-theory-types

    Source: Palo Alto University

    https://concept.paloaltou.edu/resources/business-of-practice-blog/family-therapy-theory-types-family-therapy-theory-types

  5. 5.

    Attachment-based family therapy: Theory, clinical model, outcomes, and process research

    Diamond, G., Diamond, G. M., & Levy, S. (2021). Attachment-based family therapy: Theory, clinical model, outcomes, and process research. Journal of Affective Disorders, 294, 286–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.005

    Source: Journal of Affective Disorders

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.005

  6. 6.

    Family Interventions: Basic Principles and Techniques

    Varghese, M., Kirpekar, V., & Loganathan, S. (2020). Family Interventions: Basic Principles and Techniques. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 62(Suppl 2), S192–S200. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_770_19

    Source: Indian Journal of Psychiatry

    https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_770_19

  7. 7.

    About AAMFT

    American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (n.d.). About AAMFT. Retrieved from https://www.aamft.org/AAMFT/About_AAMFT/About_Marriage_and_Family_Therapists.aspx

    Source: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

    https://www.aamft.org/AAMFT/About_AAMFT/About_Marriage_and_Family_Therapists.aspx
Brittany Ferri

Author

Brittany Ferri

Brittany Ferri holds a PhD in Integrative Mental Health and is an occupational therapist, health writer, medical reviewer, and book author.

Activity History - Last updated: March 19, 2026, Published date: March 19, 2026

Jennifer Brown

Reviewer

Jennifer Brown

Dr. Jennifer Brown is dual board-certified in family medicine and obesity medicine. She currently works for Amwell Medical Group, providing virtual primary care services, including mental health treatment.

Activity History - Medically reviewed on April 15, 2026 and last checked on March 19, 2026

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