Family Therapy – Communication is the Key

In Family Therapy we look at family dynamics and communication styles. Instead of focusing primarily on the individual or “identified patient,” family therapy seeks to understand and shed light on the interaction patterns of the whole family.

Virginia Satir, the mother of Family Therapy, studied families back in the 1960s and observed that troubled families universally had members with low levels of self worth, communications patterns that were indirect or dishonest, and rigid systems of rules. These families related to the rest of society in ways that were fearful, placating, and blaming. Untroubled families had the opposite characteristics.

Family therapy empowers family members to review, reflect and when possible repair their relationships, and thus increase their functionality as a family. This approach is very effective in facilitating favorable communication patterns, personality and behavioral changes and helping families find acceptance, forgiveness and meaning for their lives together.


Family Therapy seeks to enhance the capacity of each family member to heal one another.

For more information on Family Therapy:

» California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, www.camft.org

» Harper, Gary, (2004) The Joy of Conflict Resolution, www.joyofconflict.com

» Howard Glasser, Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach www.difficultchild.com

» Kalman, Izzy, talks about how to handle bullying. Very child friendly. www.bullies2buddies.com

» Popkin, Michael, Active Parenting Now, 2002, www.activeparenting.com

» Rosenberg, Marshall, (1999) Non Violent Communication: A Language of Compassion, Puddle Dancer Press, Encinitas, CA, www.cnvc.org