Is Marriage and Family Counseling Effective?
MFT is a goal-oriented form of therapy, which allows each individual to have something to work towards that will benefit the family as a whole. Sessions focus on each individual’s role in the family and how his/her behavior affects the family as a whole. The theory behind this style of therapy is that, regardless of whether a problem appears (either to one person or the family as a whole) to be because of one individual, getting the entire family involved will result in more effective communication, problem-solving strategies, and agreeing on a solution. Through this method, goals are able to be set and achieved, together, which can be a bonding experience in and of itself.
While some families may be dismayed if progress is not overtly made within the first few sessions, try to prevail. To the blind eye, things may not be moving along, but each bump in the road can be very therapeutic and lead to an engaging, enlightening dialogue.
This will allow for the participants and a certified therapist to come up with a list of goals for treatment and set any boundaries or “rules” to be observed, both in and out of session. Generating a list of rules that everyone is comfortable is crucial for open and honest communication. Think of things like confidentiality agreements and who everyone is comfortable having a session with. As treatment progresses and each person becomes more comfortable and confident with voicing their views, the problems, conflicts, and each individual’s role in them will become clearer to the top therapists– and hopefully each family member. From here, the group can begin to actively explore ways to resolve these issues together.