How It's Complicated works
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Learn more about systemic therapy
Systemic therapy is a clinically recognised psychotherapeutic approach that works with relationship patterns, family dynamics, and the social systems that shape a person's experience. It is grounded in the understanding that psychological difficulties often develop and are maintained within relational systems, and that lasting change is frequently more achievable when those systems are part of the therapeutic work.
Systemic therapy is distinct from both the broader systemic approach, which is an orientation that can inform many forms of practice, and from systemic coaching, which applies systemic thinking within a professional development frame. Systemic therapy is a regulated psychotherapeutic modality practised by trained clinicians.
In systemic therapy, the therapist works with the patterns that develop between people: how roles are assigned, how communication flows, what rules operate implicitly, and how difficulties are organised within the system. The individual is understood in relation to their context, not in isolation.
Sessions may involve:
- Exploring the relational patterns and dynamics that surround the presenting difficulty
- Working with multiple perspectives: how does each person involved understand what is happening?
- Mapping family or relational history to understand how current patterns developed
- Identifying what function a problem might serve within the system as a whole
- Creating space for new conversations and different relational possibilities
- Using specific techniques such as circular questioning, reflecting teams, or genograms (family maps)
Systemic therapy is particularly well-suited to presentations where relational patterns and family dynamics are central.
Attachment
Attachment difficulties, including anxious, avoidant, and disorganised patterns developed in early relationships, are a central focus of systemic therapy. The approach explores how early relational experiences have shaped current patterns and how the therapeutic relationship and family work can support the development of more secure connection.
Adolescents
Teenage difficulties are almost always relational as well as individual. Systemic therapy works with the young person in the context of their family, peer group, and developmental stage, addressing the patterns that maintain difficulty without locating the problem solely in the adolescent.
Children
Work with children through a systemic lens involves the family system as a whole. Parents and caregivers are typically included in the therapeutic process, which focuses on the relational conditions that support the child's wellbeing and development.
Adoption & fostering
Adoption and fostering bring complex attachment histories into new family systems. Systemic therapy helps families understand and respond to the child's early experiences, navigate the challenges of integration, and build relational patterns that support trust and belonging.
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 systemically trained therapist with experience in your specific presenting concern, and who can work with the format you need, individual, couple, or family, requires targeted matching. 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 systemic therapist, or browse all systemic therapists in the directory.
