Family psychotherapy is a form of therapy that focuses on the improvement of how the family functions as a whole. Problematic behavioral patterns of the family unit as a whole, as well as among individual members and groupings, or subsystems, within the family are carefully examined, addressed, and resolved. Family therapy often involves both sessions in which the entire family is present and sessions with a particular dyad within the family.
Common issues that family therapy addresses include blended families, substance abuse, major upheavals to daily life, problems with communication, high family conflict, or difficulty establishing healthy rules, roles, and expectations for family members.