Family Therapy: Why are modern families so loosely connected?

Posted by ilija sekulov on February 19th, 2019

An ideal family would consist of Mom, Dad and the kids. The ideal scenario would be for the family to stay together no matter what. And yet, many are the events and experiences of everyone that are causing the Modern Family to disintegrate day by day. For example, school failure, eating disorders, suicide attempts, withdrawal and others may be warning signs of such a phenomenon. So much suffering can affect the entire family group. From there originates the family therapies. In this perspective, the symptom of a child, for example, is no longer perceived as individual suffering but would be an indicator of dysfunctional relationships involving the parents and the entire siblings.

The functioning of a family that is not united and in crisis is like a loop that closes in on itself. The suffering of the whole family is increasing, and it is always repeating itself. On the other hand, many are the family pathologies that are based around an unsaid, even the sufferings that are transmitted from generation to generation, because they could not be overcome by previous generations. This may be the case of a member of the alcoholic family, who, after investigation, reveals that a member of the previous generation has already suffered from the same problems.

Individual or family therapy

In the majority of cases, the use of family therapy is not always evident. It is very rare for all members of the family concerned to express their wish to be helped. Often, when the entire family is reunited in the Office of a family therapist, one of the members has been identified as having problems. He would usually have a long therapeutic path behind him. The person with the symptom is indicated as the "designated patient". It is she who generates the problem of the whole family. He does everything to focus attention on himself. In order to give an indication of family therapy or individual therapy, the expert first examines the symptoms evoked. The latter can draw its roots from an important family issue.

What is family therapy and which psychological services can help?

This therapy focuses on relationships and interactions between family members. It is often directed at parents who have a child with a worrisome symptom. This symptom would be indicative of the suffering or difficulty of the family as a whole, but not as a problem of a single member. The therapist does not necessarily receive the entire family. The purpose of this family consultation is to move the whole family forward so that they can re-establish ties in a different way. Indeed, a family has all the skills and resources necessary to build new relationships, allowing it to better live together, to find and implement a better harmony.

The tools of family therapy

Family therapy should be initiated when certain changes occur, such as birth, a departure of children, death of a loved one, etc., which trigger a crisis. Symptoms usually occur during transition periods. As tools of family therapy, the expert works on the link, to allow parents and children to better communicate with each other so that they find new answers relevant to their problems. The therapist helps to identify the implicit rules, the beliefs and the family myths, in short, all the factors that make the family system rigid and hinder the evolution of the family. It also takes into account the transgenerational aspects that would cause parents to project on the children, the problems that they could not solve with their own parents.

The process of family therapy

Depending on the practices of each therapist, the family can be looked after by one or two practitioners. This allows her to step back from family interactions. In the same vein, the sessions can be filmed. However, in private centres, the family meets only one therapist. In practice, family therapy is a brief therapy. It focuses on the present, studying and analysing the actions and reactions of each member of the family. Family therapy is based on the principle that the family is a system in which all members are interdependent. They start with three to five interviews, twice a month. Afterwards, an evaluation is carried out so that the therapist can see if it is still relevant to continue. More complex cases do occur, however.