Basic Principles & Techniques of Family Therapy
                     Basic Principles 
& Techniques of 
Family Therapy
www.energeticsinstitute.
com.au
 Family therapy is a form of treatment that 
seeks to strengthen the bond between 
partners and close relatives. But though the 
practice is common, not everyone is familiar 
with what a family therapist does. There are 
several different family therapy goals and 
methods available for relatives with unique 
needs.
One common misconception about Who Does Family 
family therapy is that it’s only for 
members of the family. But while Therapy Benefit?
romantic partners, parents and 
children, and some extended family 
members are the most frequent 
recipients of family therapy, they 
aren’t the only ones that can benefit 
from it.
Family therapists offer guidance and 
lead exercises that help people diffuse 
tension and understand one another 
better. So, any close, non-familiar 
pairs struggling to stay amicable can 
improve through family therapy. 
Additionally, family therapy is 
accessible for individuals, couples, 
and small group dynamics.
Primary Family Therapy 
Principles
Not every mental health 
professional approaches family 
therapy in the same way. 
However, most therapists share 
the same goals and family 
therapy principles.
Regardless of the type of family 
therapy you seek, your 
therapist will attempt to help 
you and your relatives in the 
following ways.
Improving Communication 
and Problem-Solving Skills
The biggest problem many families and 
long-term partners face is poor 
communication, particularly in the face 
of hardship. Adversity comes in many 
forms for families, from financial 
troubles to differences in raising a 
child. And without proper 
communication and problem-solving 
skills, those differences will spiral out 
of control and drive a wedge between 
previously close family dynamics.
Family therapists will analyze the Deconstructive 
power and decision-making Unhealthy Family Roles
structures within a group and attempt 
to replace unhealthy, uneven roles 
with a level playing field.
One-sided power structures are often 
a cause of strife in relationships. For 
example, if one party makes all the 
decisions in a marriage and for a 
family with minimal input from 
anyone else, the others in that group 
might feel their voices don’t matter or 
aren’t wanted.
Reducing Anger Toward 
Whatever points of contention you and 
your family or partners face, addressing Hot Button Issues
them with anger and without 
understanding will only divide everyone 
involved. Unfortunately, attempting to 
remove yourself from those hostile feelings 
can be challenging without a mediator.
In the simplest sense, a family therapist is a 
neutral third party that will help you and 
your family find middle ground on the 
issues driving you apart. So, not only will 
you have workable solutions to your 
problems, but you’ll get there in a pleasant 
way without anger.
Other Central 
Goals
Family therapy is often a years-long 
investment; with all that time comes 
several lessons beyond the primary ones 
listed above. Some of the additional 
lessons family therapists attempt to teach • How to set healthy boundaries
include:
• How to support and communicate with a family 
member with mental health concerns
• How to cope with illness or tragedy
• How to set long-term goals
Common Family Therapy 
Techniques
While many methods share the same 
family therapy principles, not every 
group counseling technique is the 
same. Many 
family therapy techniques help 
specific demographics with different 
needs, and finding the best types of 
family therapy for you and your 
partners is essential to getting the 
most out of your investment.
Strategic
Strategic family therapy aims to strengthen bonds 
between partners by observing their behavior and 
modifying it. For example, if an issue in a group 
causes one member to lash out in anger, the 
family therapist will challenge them to change 
their reaction to being more tolerant toward the 
other members.
The primary difference between strategic therapy 
and the other methods is that most work happens 
between therapy sessions. While your therapist 
will work on behavior observation and 
modification during the appointment, they will 
often ask you to recall the lessons you learned 
during the session and use them to change how 
you act with your family back at home.
Structural
As the name suggests, structural family 
therapy believes that a family unit needs a 
clearly defined structure and boundaries to 
thrive. So, if you work with a structural 
therapist, they might work with you to 
establish your role within the family and 
clarify what other family members should 
expect from you.
Systemic
Systemic family therapy treats 
groups as one interconnected unit 
where each part affects the other. 
For example, structural therapists 
believe that family dynamics have a 
butterfly effect. So, if one member 
behaves a certain way, the others 
will develop habits to cope with 
that behavior, which also impacts 
everyone’s behaviors.
Finding The Right 
Family Therapist
Before committing to family therapy and a 
specific family therapist, it’s vital to 
understand what you want from the 
service. Depending on the type of 
counseling, your mental health 
professional will impart different lessons 
and family therapy principles, so you must 
know what problems you want to work on 
and lessons you want to learn before 
scheduling an appointment.
Contact Us...
For the best family counseling services in Perth you can 
contact us at:
82 Tenth Ave Inglewood WA 6052
Phone:   0414 897024
Website:
www.energeticsinstitute.com.au