Top 20 Reasons to Pursue Family Therapy

By Sarah Earles, MS, LPC, NCC | May 23, 2025 

Back to Blog

Family therapy is a resource for families of all shapes and sizes. Why do people pursue family therapy? People pursue family therapy for a myriad of reasons, some negative and some positive. The choice to engage in family therapy is up to the family and depends on the family.

What is family therapy? Tyler Woods (2023) defines family counseling in Psychology Today as, “a discipline of therapy focused on finding solutions for the challenges and complexities that may arise in family life.” The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (n.d.) states that marriage and family therapy is “brief; solution-focused; specific, with attainable therapeutic goals, [and] designed with the ‘end in mind.’” The focus of family therapy is to improve relationships within the family (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Family therapy differs from individual therapy in this way, in that it is about a unit rather than a single person.
Which issues might prompt a family unit to pursue counseling? A myriad of them. Top areas addressed in family counseling include:
  1. Academic issues
  2. Blended families
  3. Boundaries
  4. Change and life transitions
  5. Communication
  6. Conflict and compromise
  7. Family secrets
  8. Goal-setting
  9. Grief and loss
  10. Healthy relationships
  11. Intimacy
  12. A new medical diagnosis
  13. Parenting
  14. Roles
  15. Self-esteem
  16. Separation or divorce
  17. Substance use
  18. Support
  19. The teenage years
  20. Trauma

(Alston, n.d.; Carolina Counseling Services, n.d.; Corchado, 2023; Life Redefined Healing, 2022; Morales-Brown, 2023; Regain Editorial Team, 2024; Ryan, 2020)

Families may attend counseling because they value these areas and want to strengthen them further, or because they struggle in these areas and want to shore up the weaknesses. Families will likely choose treatment plan goals regarding one to three areas listed above. After families master those, they may choose to pursue new goals or discharge from services.

Why should families attend counseling? To address the issues that are top of mind for them. Those issues may include all, some, or none of the “Top 20.” Family counseling is a service unique to the family, a service that requires consent and participation from all members.

Recommended Reads

Stress, laptop and black woman frustrated, burnout experience
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
September 27, 2024
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious condition marked by intrusive thoughts and repetitive...
Read More
sad boy sitting on a street chair
Grief and Bereavement Resources for Children
November 24, 2023
Death and loss can be a confusing process for children and teenagers. Learn how to support them while...
Read More
Related Topics

Family therapy is a resource for families of all shapes and sizes. Why do people pursue family therapy? People pursue family therapy for a myriad of reasons, some negative and some positive. The choice to engage in family therapy is up to the family and depends on the family.

What is family therapy? Tyler Woods (2023) defines family counseling in Psychology Today as, “a discipline of therapy focused on finding solutions for the challenges and complexities that may arise in family life.” The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (n.d.) states that marriage and family therapy is “brief; solution-focused; specific, with attainable therapeutic goals, [and] designed with the ‘end in mind.’” The focus of family therapy is to improve relationships within the family (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Family therapy differs from individual therapy in this way, in that it is about a unit rather than a single person.
Which issues might prompt a family unit to pursue counseling? A myriad of them. Top areas addressed in family counseling include:
  1. Academic issues
  2. Blended families
  3. Boundaries
  4. Change and life transitions
  5. Communication
  6. Conflict and compromise
  7. Family secrets
  8. Goal-setting
  9. Grief and loss
  10. Healthy relationships
  11. Intimacy
  12. A new medical diagnosis
  13. Parenting
  14. Roles
  15. Self-esteem
  16. Separation or divorce
  17. Substance use
  18. Support
  19. The teenage years
  20. Trauma

(Alston, n.d.; Carolina Counseling Services, n.d.; Corchado, 2023; Life Redefined Healing, 2022; Morales-Brown, 2023; Regain Editorial Team, 2024; Ryan, 2020)

Families may attend counseling because they value these areas and want to strengthen them further, or because they struggle in these areas and want to shore up the weaknesses. Families will likely choose treatment plan goals regarding one to three areas listed above. After families master those, they may choose to pursue new goals or discharge from services.

Why should families attend counseling? To address the issues that are top of mind for them. Those issues may include all, some, or none of the “Top 20.” Family counseling is a service unique to the family, a service that requires consent and participation from all members.

Recommended Reads

Happy child playing at home. Funny kid wants to become a sportsman. Healthy lifestyle concept
Getting Started on Growth Mindset
March 15, 2024
Growth mindset means embracing imperfection, normalizing struggle, and valuing the process over results....
Read More
Parents with the son working in the garden.
Marriage Foundations Part 2: Understanding the Soil
November 15, 2024
In marriage, the "soil" we bring includes everything from our upbringing to past relationships, shaping...
Read More
Related Topics

References

Alston, R. (n.d.). Top 10 reasons why your family may need family therapy. Mamas Like Me. https://www.mamaslikeme.com/top-10-reasons-family-may-need-family-therapy/

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (n.d.). About marriage and family therapy. https://www.aamft.org/AAMFT/About_AAMFT/About_Marriage_and_Family_Therapists.aspx

Carolina Counseling Services. (n.d.). 10 things that family counseling can do for your family. Cameronn Counseling. https://cameronnccounseling.carolinacounselingservices.com/10-things-that-family-counseling-can-do-for-your-family/

Cleveland Clinic. (2022, November 20). Family therapy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24454-family-therapy

Corchado, S. (2023, December 19). 20 reasons for family counseling. High Expectations Counseling. https://lifecounselingorlando.com/20-reasons-for-family-counseling/

Life Redefined Healing. (2022, December 22). Top 10 reasons why your family may need family therapy.

Morales-Brown, L. (2023, May 18). What are the benefits of family counseling. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/family-counseling

Regain Editorial Team. (2024, June 14). Top 10 reasons why your family may need family therapy. Regain. https://www.regain.us/advice/counseling/top-10-reasons-why-you-may-need-family-counseling/

Ryan, N. (2020, February 6). 10 very good reasons to see a family therapist. The Relationship Therapy Center. https://www.therelationshiptherapycenter.com/10-very-good-reasons-to-see-a-family-therapist/

Woods, T. (2023, October 11). What is family counseling? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy/what-is-family-counseling

References

Alston, R. (n.d.). Top 10 reasons why your family may need family therapy. Mamas Like Me. https://www.mamaslikeme.com/top-10-reasons-family-may-need-family-therapy/

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (n.d.). About marriage and family therapy. https://www.aamft.org/
AAMFT/About_AAMFT/About_
Marriage_and_Family_
Therapists.aspx

Carolina Counseling Services. (n.d.). 10 things that family counseling can do for your family. Cameronn Counseling. https://cameronnccounseling.
carolinacounselingservices.com/10-things-that-family-counseling-can-do-for-your-family/

Cleveland Clinic. (2022, November 20). Family therapy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/
health/treatments/24454-family-therapy

Corchado, S. (2023, December 19). 20 reasons for family counseling. High Expectations Counseling. https://lifecounselingorlando.com/20-reasons-for-family-counseling/

Life Redefined Healing. (2022, December 22). Top 10 reasons why your family may need family therapy.

Morales-Brown, L. (2023, May 18). What are the benefits of family counseling. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
articles/family-counseling

Regain Editorial Team. (2024, June 14). Top 10 reasons why your family may need family therapy. Regain. https://www.regain.us/advice/
counseling/top-10-reasons-why-you-may-need-family-counseling/

Ryan, N. (2020, February 6). 10 very good reasons to see a family therapist. The Relationship Therapy Center. https://www.therelationship
therapycenter.com/10-very-good-reasons-to-see-a-family-therapist/

Woods, T. (2023, October 11). What is family counseling? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/
us/basics/therapy/what-is-family-counseling

Tagged