Family therapy is a family oriented psychotherapy that is aomed at resolving the conflicts and poor communication pattern among the family members. It also aid them in learning coping strategies to deal with distress and deal with the stress related to psychiatric illness of the family member.

1. FAMILY THERAPY
PRESENTED BY
Ms Mamta Bisht (Lecturer)

2. Our family affects who we are and who
we become, for better and for worse.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

3. INTRODUCTION
Family therapy refers to the treatment of the
family as whole.
The focus of the family therapy is not on
the individual, but the family as a whole. It
involves all the significant family members
with a goal to change the dysfunctional
patterns of behavior and interactions in the
family.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

4. It can be used to help a family through difficult
period, a major transition, or mental or
behavioral health problems in a family
member.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

5. DEFINITION
Family therapy or family counselling is a form
of psychological treatment that is designed to
address the specific issues affecting the health
and functioning of a family.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

6. ASSUMPTIONS
• Psychiatric symptoms are inseparably related
to the family in which he lives.
• Family dysfunctions can exaggerate or
worsen the psychiatric symptoms.
• Correcting the faulty family patterns can
improve the copping skills of the family
member having psychiatric illness.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

7. GOALS OF FAMILY THERAPY
• To reduce dysfunctional behaviour of
individual family members.
• To resolve or reduce intra family relationship
conflicts.
• To improve family communication skills.
• To heighten awareness and sensitivity to
other family members to meet their needs.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

8. GOALS OF FAMILY THERAPY
• To strengthen the family ability to cope with
the major life stressors and traumatic events.
• To improve autonomy for each member.
• To reduce distress in the member who is
patient.
• To encourage the family members to express
honest feelings and opinions.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

9. INDICATION
• Conflicts between the family members.
• A family member’s mental illness
(Schizophrenia, Depression, aggression)
• Substance abuse or addiction.
• Everyday concerns like communication
problems.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

10. INDICATION
• Stressful events (divorce, financial hardship
etc.)
• Children’s behavioral problems.
• Childhood or adolescents disorders
• Failure of individual therapy
Presented By Mamta Bisht

11. CONTRAINDICATIONS
• Family in the process of breaking up (divorce
or separation)
• Families in which tense, dysfunctional
equilibrium is present.
• Families staying apart
• Non availability of the key family member
• Unwillingness to accept the therapy.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

12. TECHNIQUES OF FAMILY THERAPY
The therapist may use various techniques or
methods from cognitive therapy, behavior
therapy, interpersonal therapy or other types
of individual therapies to improve family
patterns.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

13. TYPES OF FAMILY THERAPY
1. Individual Family Therapy
2. Conjoint Family Therapy
3. Couples Therapy
4. Multiple Family Therapy
5. Network Therapy
Presented By Mamta Bisht

14. TYPES OF FAMILY THERAPY
1.Individual family therapy :
Each family member has a single therapist. The
whole family may meet occasionally with
therapist to see how they relate to each other.
2.Conjoint family therapy:
One nuclear family is addressed by a therapist
to solve their issues and problems
Presented By Mamta Bisht

15. TYPES OF FAMILY THERAPY
3. Couples therapy:
Couples experiencing marital issues or conflicts
are seen by the therapist together to help
them resolve the problems.
4. Multiple family therapy:
Four or five families meet weekly to deal with
the issues or problems they have in common.
This helps the members to reach out and form
the relationships outside the group.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

16. TYPES OF FAMILY THERAPY
5. Network family therapy:
Network family therapy is conducted at
people’s home where all the individuals
interested or invested in the problem that a
particular person in a family are experiencing
take part.
The network may include as much as 40-60
people involving family, friends, neighbours,
professional groups or persons.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

17. BENEFITS OF FAMILY THERAPY
• A better understanding of healthy
boundaries, family patterns & dynamics.
• Enhanced communication among family
member.
• Improved problem solving.
• Deeper empathy.
• Reduced conflicts & better anger
management skills.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

18. DISADVANTAGES
• The family members may show a resistance
to family approach due to following reasons
–They may be blamed for their child’s difficulties
–The entire family will be pronounced sick
–Fear that a spouse will object
–Open discussion of one child’s behavior may
negatively influence siblings.
• Unwillingness of adolescents or young adults
to participate in the therapy.
Presented By Mamta Bisht

19. Presented By Mamta Bisht