FAMILY THERAPY

INTRODUCTION

Family therapy is the branch of psychiatric which sees an individuals psychiatrics symptoms as in
separably related to the family in which he lives. Thus , the focusesof treatment not on the individuals
but the family .

Family thrapy is a relatively new development that came about in the mid twentieth century as an adjust
to individual treatment and refers to the treatment of the family as whole.

Family therapist use a wide varietyof theoretical philosophies and techniques to brings about the change
in dysfunction patterns of behavoirand interaction ,some therapist may focus on the here and now,

Several or sometimes all members of a family members take part in this treatment . usually both parents
are involved, often together with a child , grandparents , or other members of the extended family.

GOALS .

Although different therapies may adhere to different theories and use wide variety of methods, the
goals of family therapy are basically the same . These goals include the following:

 To reduce dysfunctional behaviour of individual family members.

 To resolve or reduces intrafamily relationship conflicts .
 To improve family communication skills.
 To heighten awareness and sensitivity to other family members to meets their needs.
 To strengthen the family ability to cope major life stressors and traumatic events.
 To improve integration of the family system into the social systems.
 To improve autonomy for each members , reduces distress in the member who is patient.

FUNCTIONS :
 Boundary function will maintain a distinction between individuals with the family . rigid
boundaries prevent fanilymembers from trying out new ideas.
 Communications functions : communication within the family encourages its members to
express their feelings or emotions appropriately.
 Supportive functions : supportive functions within the family give freedom to grow and explore
new roles within the family members.
 Socializations functions : socializations helps to interacts and plan adopts copings skills with in
the members of the family.
 Biological functions : family is a medium where the sex relations are regulated .
 Psychological functions : love , belongingingness , affections sympathy , security , attention
emotional satisfaction sexual realationships intimacy etc will be attained through family.
 Educational functions : mother I the first teacher and primary care giver who will take care of
the children . childs personality and character formations will be attained through family .
 Protective function : family protects the interest of the child , provides security to cultivate
healthy behavior.
 Recreational functions : family creates an atmosphere where the childs interest can be fulfilled .
the love among family members willcreat positive interest in the child.
 Religious functions :family develops religious thoughts , kind hearted ness and fellow belonging .
the child learns more moral value , ethics, codes , hosenty , truthfulness , traditions and religious
patterns.
 Cultural functions : family molds its members according to its culture , its transmits ideas ,
folkways , mores , customs , traditions , beliefs and values from to another generations.
one generations
 Social functions :
Maintains socials status and controls members activities.
Promotes safety and security and lays emphasis on kinships patterns
Provides physical shelter , food , clothings , which are necessary to the existence of life,

TYPES OF FAMILY THERAPY :

 INDIVIDUAL FAMILY THERAPY – Inindividual family therapy , each family member has a single
therapist .the whole family may meet occasionally with one or two of the therapist to see how
members are relating to one another and work out specific that have been defined by the
individuals members.
 CONJOINT FAMILY THERAPY - the most common type of family therapy is single family , group .
ofconjoint family in therapy . the nuclear family is seen and the tissues and problem raised by
the family are the ones addressed by the therapy by the therapist .the way in which the family
interacts is observed and become the focuses of therapy . the therapists help the family deal
more effectively with problems as they arise and are defined.
 COUPLES THERAPY – couples are often seen by the therapist together . the couple may be
experiencing difficulities in their marriage , and in therapy , they are helped to work together to
seek a resolution for their problems . family patterns , interactions and the communications
styles and each partner’s goals , hopes and expectations are examined in therapy. This
examination enables the couples to find a common ground for resolving conflicts by recognizing
and respecting each others similarities and differences.
 MULTIPLE FAMILY GROUP THERAPY :
In multiple family group therapy , four or five familiesmeet weekly to confront and deals with
the problems or issues they have in common . ability or inability to functions well in the home
and community fearing of talking to or relating to others , abuse , anger neglects the
development of social skills , and responsibility for oneself are some of the issues on which
these group focus . the multiple family group become the support for all the families , the
network also encourages each person to reach out from new relationship outside the group.

MULTIPLE IMPACT THERAPY –

In multiple impact therapy , several therapists come together withfamilies in a community
settings . they live together and deal with pertinent issues for each family member within the
 context of the group . multiple impacts therapy is similar to multiple family group therapy
except that it is more intense and time limited. Like multiple family group therapy , it focuses on
developing skills or working together as a family and with other families.

NETWORK THERAPY –

Network therapy is conducted in people’s home . all individuals interested or invested in a

problem or crisis that particular persons in a family are experiencing take part . this gathering
includes family , friends , neighbours, professionals group or persons and anyone in the
community who has an investment in the outcome of the currents crisis . people who form the
network generally know each other and interact on a regular asis in each other’s lives . thus a
network may includes as many as 40 to 60 people

ELEMENTS OF FAMILY THERAPY –

Boyers and Jeffrey (1984) describe six elements on which families are assessed to be either
functional or dysfunctional . the six elements of assessment includes:
1. Communication –
Functional communication patterns are those in which verbal and non verbal messages are
clear , direct, and congreuent between sender and intended receiver. Family members are
encouraged to express honest feelings and opinion , and all members participate in
members of the family.
 Making assumptions – in this one assumes that others will know what is meant by an actions or
an expression .
 Belittling feelings – this behavior involves ignoring or miniminzing anothers feeling , when they
hurt by the negative response.
 Failing to listen - in this , one does not hear what the other individual is saying . this can mean ,
not hearing the words by turning out what is being said , or it can be selective listening , in
which a person hears only selective part of the message or interprets in a selective manner.
 Communicating indirectly – it usually means that an individual does not cannot present a
message to receiver directly , so he or she seeks to communicate through a third persons.
 Presenting double bindmessages- in this family members may respond to a direct request by
another family member only to be rebuked when the request is fulfilled.

2. Self concept reinforcement –

Functional families strives to reinforcements and streghtens each member’s self concepts
with the positive resulting beings that family members feel loved and valued in this manner
in which children see and value themselves is influenced most significantly by the messages .

3. Family member’s exceptations –

Every individuals have some expectations about the outcomeof the lifesitutions they
experiences .the expectations are relatedvto and significantly influenced by earlier life
 experiences. Each family members is different , with different strength and limitations . each
members must be valued independently.
4. Handling differences –
It is difficult to conceive of two or more individuals living together who agree on everything
5. Family climate –

The atmosphere or climate of family is composed of a blend of the feeling and experiences
thatare the results of the family members verbal sharing and interacting . it has been suggested
that a positive family climate is founded on trust and is reflected in openness. A dysfunctionals
family climate is evidenced by tensions , pain physicals disabilities , frustrations or guilts .

INDICATIONS :

1. Problems in the realtionsships within the family (ergexistence of communication or

generations gap )
2. Inter dependence of symptoms ( e.g. the wife ‘s depression being contingent on the
husband alcohol consumption and vice versa)
3. Failure of individual therapy ( may be because family tension have mot been handled ).
4. Development of stress in other family member when one family member improves
development of depression in wife following husband’sgiving up drinking leading to his
improves participation in family matters.

CONTRAINDICATIONS :

 Family in the process breaking up.

 Families in which tense , dysfunctions equilibrium is present.
 Families staying apart.
 No availability of the key family member.
 Unilingness to accept the therapy.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Berg, I. and Dolan, Y., 2001. Tales of solutions. New York: Norton.

 Burton, L., Westen, D., Kowalski, R. and Westen, D., 2012. Psychology. 3rd ed. Milton Qld: John Wiley & Sons.
Fleck, S., 1980. Family Functioning and Family Pathology. Psychiatric Annals, 10(2), pp.17-35.
 Fleck, S., 1980. Family Functioning and Family Pathology. Psychiatric Annals, 10(2), pp.17-35.
 Nichols, M., 2014. The essentials of family therapy. 6th ed. Boston: Pearson
 : Nichols, M., 2014. The essentials of family therapy. 6th ed. Boston: Pearson