Dimensions of family therapy

This article is a description of different approaches to therapy with a family orientation. There are general categories of family therpay which had their origins in individual therapy, such as the approaches based upon psychodynamic theory, those derived from experiential procedures, and the behavioral approaches. There are also family therapies which have not developed from individual therapy, such as the extended family system approach and the communication school of family therapy. The different therapy approaches are described within a set of dimensions which characterize most therapy. Such dimensions include whether the past or present is emphasized, whether the therapist uses interpretation or directives, whether the approach is in terms of growth or specific problems, whether hierarchy is a concern, and whether the unit is an individual, two people, three people, or a wider network. Illustrations of the different family therapy approaches are given in terms of the kinds of information that would interest the therapist of each school and the kinds of actions he or she would take to bring about change.