Family Systems

Family systems therapy is a therapeutic technique that thinks about the family as a single, emotional unit. Each action and family member affects the others. Family systems therapy focuses on families and couples in intimate relationships with a goal of nurturing change and development. It tends to view change in terms of the systems of interaction between family members. It emphasizes family relationships as an important factor in psychological health. A professional trained in this technique will work on understanding the relationships within a family, and create a family history that will be the foundation for how current behaviors are viewed. No individual can be understood in isolation from the others in the familial unit. Issues shared among family members, such as substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and schizophrenia are good candidates for a family systems approach. Think this approach might work for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s family systems specialists today.

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Meet the specialists

 

Systems Theory is not necessarily about doing therapy with an entire family (who has time for that?). A look at your family system is like seeing the inner workings of a clock. We have much more information about how and why you are the cog shaped the way you are shaped, when we look at the functioning of the entire clock. What's magical is, by changing how you are shaped, or how you behave, you can't help but affect the shape (behavior) of all the cogs in your family, workplace or community!

— Kathryn Gates, Marriage & Family Therapist in Austin, TX

I enjoy helping clients process how they impact and are impacted by systems. Spanning ancestral, societal, interpersonal and intrapersonal contexts, we can discuss how you relate. I acknowledge that compassionate relationships to the whole comes with building capacity for accountability, boundaries and acknowledgement of power differentials.

— Maya Mineoi, Mental Health Practitioner in St. Paul, MN
 

My work focuses on building impactful relationships. Family Systems theory is a lens through which I view treatment. I have taught university graduate-level courses centered on the application of family systems theory. I received specialized training as a marriage and family therapist, received additional training in postgraduate school, presented at national conferences on family systems dynamics, and have over a decade of experience working with families in clinical settings.

— Kyle Barth, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Kaysville, UT

Taking a look at generational patterns that have been passed down. Understanding a client's family of origin is extremely helpful in understanding the client on a deeper level.

— Marcey Heschel, Licensed Professional Counselor in Cypress, TX
 

In my post-graduate work, I obtained a Couple and Family Therapy certificate. This education helps me to understand how our family can shape us and our reactions. Looking at the past for answers to now is a part of how I practice.

— Angelique Gutekunst, Licensed Professional Counselor in Bethlehem, PA

I've worked with families from many different backgrounds and I find that addressing issues relating to the family and one's role in the family is some of the most important work we'll do. Stress and transitions often bring wounds and experiences from the past to the surface so exploring family patterns and family functioning will help you gain clarity from the past and also how it impacts the present.

— Jillian Zamora, Associate Clinical Social Worker
 

General systems theory emphasizes that a group, family, or even individual cannot be wholly explained by looking at just one part or one angle of influence. We are not simply a combination of our circumstances, the same way that it is limiting to consider a single perspective. Yams is trained in considering the intersection of identities, communities, and overall society on the issues that arise in therapy and helping you navigate that web.

— Kameryn "Yams" Rose, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in , CA

Whether it’s the family you grew up in, the family you created, or the family you chose - belonging is a critical survival experience for all humans. Understanding the role we play in our families and how we experience acceptance in community greatly enhances our wellbeing. This isn’t your pop psychology “have boundaries” type of approach. I take into account how our interrelationships define personality, preference, and perspective.

— Rachel Ruiz, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Folsom, CA
 

I've worked with families for the past 11 years and have experience with foster/adoptive, racial minority and LGBTQ families, adult children and families experiencing major life transitions.

— Madison Sellers, Associate Professional Counselor in Raleigh, NC

I am trained in family systems (Bowenian) approaches to therapy. By examining the patterns within the family and across generations, we can bring insight into behaviors that may be holding us back. This approach is especially useful in communities of color given our desire to maintain strong multi-generational kinship networks.

— Eldridge Greer, Clinical Psychologist in Denver, CO
 

I consider various systems that each person experiences in order to see the bigger picture. Each person is influenced by their family, community, school, location, etc. We are all affected by the world around us, and often our family systems are templates we use for other relationships.

— Coriann Papazian, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Los Angeles, CA

Claudia was trained at the Ackerman Institute for the Family with a specialization in family systems theory. Claudia's approach to family therapy begins with a look at intergenerational patterns, and includes her expertise in trauma recovery.

— Claudia Narvaez-Meza, Psychotherapist in Los Angeles, CA
 

Family systems therapy is a systemic lens that helps us to see where you fit in your life. We may look at your family of origin, community of friends, workplace, society and see how these systems inform who you are and how you interact with the world around you. No one is an island, we all have others we must face and Family Systems or Systems Therapy helps individuals to cope with the relationships and grow as an individual.

— Rachel Newman Glick, Licensed Mental Health Counselor in , WA

Everybody had or has some form of family, whether you born into it, choose it, or found yourself in a situation with others that essentially represented a family. I use the Systems approach to change the perception of who you are and why you do the things you do by looking at how you were shaped and influenced by the people in your lives as you developed. We were all set up to think and believe and act the ways that we do because of those around us as we developed.

— Gallio Marzano, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist in , WA
 

We will look at your family system, past and present.

— Lynne Cardilino, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Hinckley, OH

We all grew up with our family's influence. It's important to be able to discuss how this related to your current way of thinking and behaving

— Heather Tahler, Psychologist
 

Understanding family patterns can help us understand how we got to where we are today. Along with attachment theory, I use family systems to help clients build a picture of their past so they understand who they are in their relationships today, and can make choices about how they want to grow in relation to themselves and others.

— Brandie Sellers, Licensed Professional Counselor in Timnath, CO