MFT, or marriage and family therapy, is a type of counseling that focuses on the dynamics among the various family members, including children, parents, and sometimes extended family members or closely involved family friends, if appropriate.
MFT is based on the concept that a family is made up of individuals who, through their interactions and the psychological assumptions, experiences, and expectations they have, interact with each other in ways that may be positive or extremely negative. Sometimes families seek out MFT or counseling because the behavior of one person – often a child or teen – seems particularly “out of line.” But often the reality is that that one individual is simply acting out problems that exist within the entire family.
MFT is a good way to not only get to the heart of family issues, but also help all of the individuals involved develop better ways to communicate with and support each other. To decide whether MFT makes sense for your family, check out Do We Need MFT?.
