A primary focus of family therapy is effective communication. Parents sometimes have difficulty talking to children in ways that promote compliance and healthy self esteem. Children and adolescents often have difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings directly, and instead, communicate through acting out, ignoring or passive aggression.
A second focus of family therapy is helping parents find a balance between setting firm and appropriate limits versus tolerating certain age appropriate behaviors.
Family therapy often involves negotiation and compromise where each individual in the family becomes flexible enough to give up something they want that is less important in order to gain something they want that is more important to them.
Effective family therapy involves each member of the family making certain changes for the greater good of the family as a whole.
Another important goal of family therapy is to teach parents how to communicate effectively with their children, in ways that build self-esteem and improve compliance with family rules.
