What is Family Therapy?
If one member is identified as the "problem," does the entire family have to participate in counseling?
 
These are two of the most commonly asked questions and we will answer them.

What is Family Therapy?
A family's life has stages, similar to the developmental stages in one person's life.  A couple marries or lives together, a child is born or adopted, the child enters school, another child
may enter the family, a child becomes a teen, a divorce may take place, there may be sickness or death.  Many events disturb the family's ability to keep its system stable and healthy: addictions, past traumas, losses, betrayals, catastrophic illnesses, financial
stresses, etc.

The members of the family may present with various issues such as marital problems, conflict between the generations, sibling rivalry. Family therapists check the entire family system to get a clear picture of what may be causing the family's distress. Family members and their therapist work together to address these issues and to help return the family to healthy functioning.

Family therapists look upon the family system much the same way a physician looks upon the entire body as a system.  People visit medical doctors when they feel sick. They return for check-ups as they are healing. Similarly, when families are under stress or in crisis and need help, they seek out a family therapist.  To maintain the family's good health, one or more family members will return to therapy for check-ups and support.  The family therapist is a professional who knows you and your family and is a trusted and confidential resource during stressful times in life.

If one member is identified as the "problem," does the entire family have to participate in counseling?

Commonly, one member of the family is identified as having a problem and seeks treatment.
However, it is often the entire family that is suffering.  Yet, the entire family does not have to be present in order to address the family’s problems. Increased awareness and positive change in any one member can shift the entire family system toward a healthier balance. 

Could your family benefit from the services of a family therapist?  To arrange a consultation, call Metropolitan Psychotherapy and Family Counseling Practice (MPFC) at 212-228-2929.