Marriage Counseling

Terms You May Hear In Family Counseling And Therapy

Entering into family counseling and therapy can be a little like trying to learn a foreign language. You may be unfamiliar with the terms the therapist uses, and certain concepts may seem strange or even a little scary at first. This articles examines some of the terms and techniques most often used in family counseling and therapy.

Genogram

A genogram is simply an extended history of who's who in your family. Genograms usually go back at least a couple of generations. A genogram notes living family members and their ages, marriages, divorces, deaths, conflicted or incomplete relationships, etc. A genogram gives the therapist a "bird's eye" view of the family. It generally does not take long to complete.

Systems Theory

Systems theory refers to a popular approach to family counseling and therapy. In this approach, the therapist assumes that almost every behavior or problem within a family is actually directed towards preserving the family system. The classic example is the misbehaving child who unites the family as they come together to deal with the child's acting out. A systems theorist looks at behaviors with an eye to how they benefit the individual or the family as a whole.

Family Sculpting

One member of the family is assigned to move other family members into a position that they feel defines the family dynamics. For instance, a teenager who sees her father as "unreachable" might position him standing on a chair or a table, and a wife who feels ganged up on by the rest of her family might position her husband and sons at one end of the office and herself alone at the other end.

Psychodrama

Psychodrama is used to reenact family conflicts from a different perspective. For instance, if a father and son are constantly in conflict about the son refusing to do his homework, the therapist might assign the father to play the role of the obstinate son and the son to play the role of the nagging father.

Empty Chair Technique

This technique is often used when one or more family members can't or won't attend therapy sessions. For instance, if a woman and her two children entered family counseling or therapy after escaping from an abusive relationship, the therapist might encourage the family to talk to an empty chair as if the abuser were sitting in it. This allows family members to release anger and pain without actually having to risk an encounter with someone who treats them badly.

There are several different techniques used in family counseling and therapy to uncover disruptive patterns and get families working together again. Don't be surprised if a suggestion your therapist makes seems a little unconventional. Sometimes the most unusual methods are the ones that work the best.

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