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Learn more about family therapy
Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy that works with families and close relationship systems, rather than with individuals in isolation. It is grounded in the understanding that psychological difficulties are shaped and maintained by patterns within the family system, and that lasting change is often more achievable when the system itself is part of the therapeutic work.
Family therapy draws on systemic theory, which examines how relationships, roles, communication patterns, and shared histories create the conditions in which individuals develop and struggle. It is practised by trained family therapists and systemic practitioners, and is a recognised therapeutic modality used in clinical, community, and private settings across Europe and internationally.
In family therapy, the therapist works with two or more family members to identify the patterns and dynamics that are maintaining difficulty. The focus is not on identifying a single person as the problem, but on understanding how the system as a whole is organised around the presenting issue.
Sessions may involve:
- Mapping communication patterns and relational dynamics within the family
- Exploring how each person's responses influence and are influenced by others
- Creating space for perspectives that have not been heard within the family
- Identifying unhelpful cycles and experimenting with different ways of responding
- Working with specific subsystems, such as a parental couple or parent and child, when useful
Family therapy is used across a wide range of presentations where relational and systemic factors are central.
Adolescents
Family therapy is one of the most established approaches for working with young people, whose difficulties are almost always embedded in family and social context. It helps families navigate behavioural challenges, emotional difficulties, and the developmental tensions of adolescence without locating the problem solely in the young person.
Addictions
Addiction affects the whole family system, not just the individual with the dependency. Family therapy addresses the roles, communication patterns, and enabling dynamics that develop around addiction, and supports the family in creating conditions that sustain recovery.
Anorexia
Family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa, particularly in adolescents, has one of the strongest evidence bases in the eating disorder field. Family therapy helps parents take an active role in nutritional recovery while also addressing the family dynamics that may be maintaining the condition.
Adoption & fostering
Adoption and fostering bring complex attachment histories into a new family system. Family therapy supports the process of integration, helps adoptive and foster parents understand and respond to the child's early experiences, and addresses the challenges that arise as new family configurations develop.
Choosing an approach isn't something you have to do alone. IC's matching can pair you with a therapist whose approach suits your situation. Get matched
It's Complicated is a therapist-founded mental health platform connecting clients with verified practitioners across Europe and globally, in over 60 languages. We work with over 2,500 vetted therapists, with in-person availability in Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Vienna, and other major cities, alongside online sessions worldwide. It's Complicated is free to use, and you pay your chosen therapist directly at rates they set.
Finding a family therapist who can accommodate multiple family members, works in the right language, and has experience with your specific situation takes more coordination than finding an individual therapist. Our matching service is built to remove that friction. You complete a short survey, our psychologists combine data-driven insights with human judgement to identify the right therapists for your situation, and you choose from a shortlist of strong candidates. You can also browse our directory directly if you'd prefer to choose yourself.
Get matched with a family therapist, or browse all family therapists in the directory.
