HOW IS MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ALTERNATIVES?
Family therapists focus on changing behavior and communication among people through active interventions. They may assign members particular tasks or “homework” to accomplish between sessions. In this way, family therapists help to change the patterns of interaction in a family that contribute to their difficulties. Family therapists typically involve other members of the family in treatment. They often include parents, children, or grandparents. They may also involve significant others in the community such as teachers, welfare workers, clergy and probation officers. Marriage and family therapists are leaders in collaboration within teams of caregivers. Contrary to most people’s expectations however, marriage and family therapists do not work only with whole family units; they frequently treat individuals by themselves, couples, and other family sub-units. Generally marriage and family therapists focus on the present. They work to understand the problem as it exists now, and focus on
