Couples and Family Therapy

Couples and Family Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that deals with the behaviors of all family members and how these behaviors affect each individual of the family as well as the relationship between family members. Couples and Family Therapy may also be referred to as Marriage and family therapy, couple counseling, marriage counseling, or family counseling. In this therapy, treatments are divided into individual therapy, couple therapy, or both together if it’s necessary.

Physical and Psychological problems that are treated by Couples and Family Therapy include:

• marital and couple conflicts,

• parents and child conflicts,

• sexual dysfunction

• children’s behavioral problems

• issues with in-laws

• Couples and Family Therapists also work with mental health issues such as a family member’s anxiety, panic, depression, stress, and all that are impacting family members.

  
  

The theory behind CFT is that regardless of whether a problem appears to be within an individual or within a family, getting other family members involved in the therapeutic process will result in more effective solutions. Couples and Family Therapy are goal-oriented and work toward an established end result. In recent years, CFT practitioners and groups have called for expanded approaches to traditional CFT training that incorporate more “real world” practices to integrate other therapies and become more inclusive of non-heterosexual couples and families.

Who can be benefited from Couples and Family Therapy 

Any couple and family with a history together may benefit from relationship counseling. Couples may seek counseling to resolve relationship issues, gain insight into the dynamics of their relationship, strengthen their emotional bonds, or find amicable ways to bring their relationship to an end. Premarital counseling is available for individuals who are engaged to be married. 

How Couples and Family Therapy works

While traditional therapy focuses more on the individual, CFT examines how an individual’s behavior affects both the individual and their relationship as part of a couple or family. The theory behind CFT is that regardless of whether a problem appears to be within an individual or within a family, getting other family members involved in the therapeutic process will result in more effective solutions. CFT is goal-oriented and works toward an established end result. In recent years, CFT practitioners and groups have called for expanded approaches to traditional CFT training that incorporate more “real world” practices to integrate other therapies and become more inclusive of non-heterosexual couples and families.