European Family Therapy Association

Family therapy addresses the problems people present within the context of their relationships with significant persons in their lives and their social networks. It is a well-recognized psychotherapeutic approach, primarily concerned with the family system as a social unit, in contrast to other psychotherapy approaches such as psychodynamic or cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focus on the individual. Some of the commonly shared goals of family therapy might be for example: improvement of family functioning on different levels, enhancement of mutual understanding and emotional support among family members, development of coping skills and problem-solving strategies in various life dilemmas and situations.