Family systems therapy is used to treat and heal strained or broken family relationships. It can be used in a number of situations, including issues around communication, roles and expectations in the relationship, grief and loss, and parenting styles. It can also be helpful when blending families or in cases where couples or families need help to achieve and maintain an emotional connection.
The underlying theory of family systems therapy is that all of a person’s emotions and ways of relating to others are learned through the relationships which he or she has growing up. The personal experiences a person has in his or her family of origin are the key to understanding all the other ones which follow.
This type of therapy does look at the client’s present situation through the light of his or her past relationships. In this approach, the family is considered a single emotional unit which has several relationships which are connected over several generations. Human life guided and influenced by a number of factors, including biology, genetics, hormones, and feelings. All of these factors influence family relationships and a client’s perspective on them.
As a person does the work to understand how his or her family of origin influenced his or her self-esteem and behavior, he or she becomes more relaxed in all personal relationships. The ultimate goal of a client who is involved in family systems therapy is to become a more flexible parent, marriage partner, worker and member of the community.