What is Family Systems Therapy?

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Family Systems Therapy is an approach to family counseling founded by Psychiatrist and Researcher Dr. Murray Bowen in the 1960s. It relies on Bowen’s Family Systems theory, which states that systems, like families, consist of parts affected by one another. This structure means that each family member affects the behaviors of others.

Family Systems Therapy aims to identify these interlocking systems that might result in negative relational patterns and address the causes so family members can relate better to one another.

Family System theory posits that every person can benefit from examining the patterns from their family of origin or the family they grew up with during their formative years. For some people, this could include their biological family, their adoptive family, or other key caregivers present in their early childhood.

While most commonly used in family counseling, counselors also can use Family Systems Therapy in individual or couples counseling.

Your therapist will ask questions about your family of origin and might even ask you to complete a genogram, which is a diagram of your family relationships going back as far as possible. The genogram ranges in detail but usually includes names of ancestors and family members, births, marriages, deaths, and sometimes mental illnesses if known. From there, your counselor might ask you to recall your relationships with your parents and siblings.

Family Systems Therapy helps you understand how your family relationships from childhood impact you today. By identifying emotions you experienced when you were younger regarding the way your family dealt with life, you may begin to get more clarity about the patterns you currently maintain while relating to your family, friends, significant other, or other loved ones. Your therapist then will help you establish more positive, adaptive ways of relating to others, which ultimately leads to growth and healing.

Therapists Who Specialize in Using Family Systems Therapy

Ben Heilveil

Los Angeles

California

Therapy is like nothing else in life. It offers a dedicated time for you to explore who you are, give attention to the parts of yourself that are hurting and the parts that maybe don't have enough life yet, and work toward wholeness. It may be a scary process to start therapy, but my suggestion is to reach out, have a conversation with different therapists, and see how it feels. Trust yourself ...
~ Counseling tailored to your Personality, from a Christian Perspective, & with a Neurobiological understanding of Lasting Change ~ I understand firsthand the courage required to ask for help. You are taking an important step in pursuing counseling today. ~ I use my understanding of personality types to tailor counseling to your specific needs. We are all unique, and my desire is to help each...
I have 19 years of experience supporting individuals and families to become more secure and confident in their everyday lives. Throughout my career, it's been my pleasure to help those I work with, begin to connect and move through life's challenges, such as working with young people, women's health, parents support/teenage self-confidence and identity. pregnancy support, perinatal mood...
My approach to counseling focuses on how the influences of the past affect the decisions and interactions you are having today. Throughout our therapy, together, you and I will look at the different aspects of your personality, how you were raised, and the messages you received from you parent(s), and how you functioned in the family system. In addition, both of us will work on counseling goals...
I believe that therapy is a collaborative process.In therapy, we listen in a way that is different than friends or family might do. We listen for details, for themes, for the storytelling and to the storyteller. Patterns emerge, who are you? What do you value? What do you need? We then begin to rework the piece, together. My aim is to remain open to new tools and language with which to engage i...
( English | español ) Hello! I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC) who is fully bilingual in English/Spanish. My current practice entails young children, adolescents, young adults, middle aged and elderly persons. I see individuals, couples, and families with a multitude of problems and/or issues. I treat the individual as a whole system, taking i...
Our mental health is essential to care for when family, careers, physical health, money, or livelihood are at stake. We often look at others and think "I want what they have". We see what we want to see. Doing this quite often takes a lot of energy and can leave you feeling anxious, depressed, and angry. I am a therapist because I firmly believe that every person should have one place they can ...
My ideal client is someone who really wants to change and is scared to change. My ideal client is someone who may not be able to afford therapy and yet really wants someone to help them work on their issue that are keeping them from finding peace and healing. This is one of the reasons I choose not to take insurance and that I keep my rates low. I want everyone who is looking for help to have t...
Sick of suffering? Sick of feeling like you've tried everything and no one seems to understand, no one seems to be able to help? Feeling like there is no purpose to keep moving forward in life? So low, so alone! You don't have to be alone, I can help guide you down a path of healing, a path of awakening to the true you!! Together, we can find that light within and bring it back to life. I...
I believe that effective therapy is dependent on a good fit between patient and clinician and I strive to create a safe environment for clients to discuss thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. I have been trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psycho-dynamic therapy, solution-focused, and family therapy. I received my Master's in Social Work from Eastern Michigan University wi...

Melissa ‘Moe’ Young

Tucson

Arizona

I specialize in working with adolescents, young adults and families. To the young person: You are figuring yourself out, taking risks, and growing. Exactly what you are supposed to be doing! Challenges during this part of your life can make it tricky to feel confident about yourself and the way you relate to the world. You need a safe space to explore who you are and who you are becoming. This ...

Marc Anderson

Seattle

Washington

Welcome! It takes courage to step toward difficult aspects of life. I think we often get stuck and suffer alone in the areas where we need connection the most. I view therapy as a collaborative process where we look at the root of what is causing pain/suffering from our past stories. Often, patterns are cyclical and repeat in the present. Society often neglects what afflicts one's internal worl...
Our life journey often leads us to unexpected places, and we may encounter difficulties that cause us to feel out of balance or unable to cope. We may feel unable to move forward, overwhelmed or stressed, or defined by a past that we want to let go of as we step into the future. My goal as a counselor is to create a supportive, compassionate, and collaborative environment in which clients can...

 

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