Marriage & Family Therapy

Marriage and family therapy looks at all members’ behaviors in a family unit to see how they affect the group to resolve whatever conflict the family is experiencing. Marriage and family therapy assumes that even if one person struggles with a particular issue, all family members are involved in the therapeutic process as it tends to result in a more effective solution. The process begins with the therapist meeting the entire family or the couple together to gather information and get a feel for the group dynamic. The therapist will then decide if they should meet with individual family members separately. Over time, the clients will identify their roles that contribute to family conflicts, and the therapist gives the clients tools to help resolve those issues. Family therapy is a valid option, regardless of the age of each family member. People experiencing marital conflict, parent and child conflict, struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, sexual dysfunction, grief, distress, eating disorders, children’s behavioral problems, or eldercare issues are good candidates for marriage and family therapy. It’s a relatively short-term process that lasts an average of 12 sessions; however, the final number depends on each family.