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Is Family Therapy Better? Understanding the Benefits

By Sarah Earles, MS, LPC, NCC | September 05, 2025

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Individual or family therapy: which is better? Well, as is the answer to many questions in counseling: it depends. It depends on the reason for therapy. It depends on the family. It depends on the individual. It depends.

When is family therapy recommended?

  • When the presenting issue is systemic (affecting the entire family) rather than just the individual.
  • When the issue involves multiple people and affects the overall family dynamic (Devlin, 2024).
  • When communication and conflict resolution will be more effective than individual processing on one’s own.
  • When a holistic approach will be more effective than an internalized individual approach (Murph, 2020).
  • Family therapy is recommended when all family members are willing to work together to solve a problem or strengthen a system.
What are the benefits of family therapy? Benefits of family therapy are many. Family therapy promotes and retains healthy boundaries (Comprehensive MedPsych Systems, 2021). Family therapy teaches and maintains good communication. Family therapy increases empathy and compassion. Family therapy can help prevent and/or reduce conflict. Family therapy can help identify unhelpful patterns in the family and promote new ways of interacting (Good Health Psychiatric Services (2023). It can help define and refine roles (Johnson, 2023). It can strengthen the family and increase resources. Studies show that participants in family therapy increase emotional and physical health, and in parent-child cases, improve child behavior (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Certainly, family therapy is a productive and worthwhile endeavor.

Is family therapy better than individual therapy, though? No. Individual therapy certainly has its benefits and uses, too. Sometimes all family members are unable or unwilling to participate in family therapy, and individual therapy is better than nothing. Sometimes issues are individual in nature and need to be processed as such (eg an individually experienced trauma). Sometimes an individual needs to strengthen his or her own resources before participating in family therapy. There are a myriad of reasons to pursue individual and family therapy, and in many cases, both services are useful and beneficial. Is family therapy or individual therapy better? Neither. The question is, which is best for the family?

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Individual or family therapy: which is better? Well, as is the answer to many questions in counseling: it depends. It depends on the reason for therapy. It depends on the family. It depends on the individual. It depends.

When is family therapy recommended?

  • When the presenting issue is systemic (affecting the entire family) rather than just the individual.
  • When the issue involves multiple people and affects the overall family dynamic (Devlin, 2024).
  • When communication and conflict resolution will be more effective than individual processing on one’s own.
  • When a holistic approach will be more effective than an internalized individual approach (Murph, 2020).
  • Family therapy is recommended when all family members are willing to work together to solve a problem or strengthen a system.
What are the benefits of family therapy? Benefits of family therapy are many. Family therapy promotes and retains healthy boundaries (Comprehensive MedPsych Systems, 2021). Family therapy teaches and maintains good communication. Family therapy increases empathy and compassion. Family therapy can help prevent and/or reduce conflict. Family therapy can help identify unhelpful patterns in the family and promote new ways of interacting (Good Health Psychiatric Services (2023). It can help define and refine roles (Johnson, 2023). It can strengthen the family and increase resources. Studies show that participants in family therapy increase emotional and physical health, and in parent-child cases, improve child behavior (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Certainly, family therapy is a productive and worthwhile endeavor.

Is family therapy better than individual therapy, though? No. Individual therapy certainly has its benefits and uses, too. Sometimes all family members are unable or unwilling to participate in family therapy, and individual therapy is better than nothing. Sometimes issues are individual in nature and need to be processed as such (eg an individually experienced trauma). Sometimes an individual needs to strengthen his or her own resources before participating in family therapy. There are a myriad of reasons to pursue individual and family therapy, and in many cases, both services are useful and beneficial. Is family therapy or individual therapy better? Neither. The question is, which is best for the family?

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References

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

Comprehensive MedPsych Systems. (2021, January 12). The goals and benefits of family therapy. https://www.medpsych.net/2021/01/12/the-goals-and-benefits-of-family-therapy/

Devlin, A. (2024, June 21). Family therapy vs individual therapy. Understanding the differences and choosing the right approach. Mindful Healing. https://mindfulhealing.com/family-therapy-vs-individual-therapy-understanding-the-differences-and-choosing-the-right-approach/

Good Health Psychiatric Services. (2023, January 31). Key benefits of family therapy and its limitations. https://goodhealthpsych.com/blog/benefits-of-family-therapy-and-its-limitations/

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

Murph, J.H. (2020, September 25). Family therapy vs. individual therapy: Which one is better? Sante Center for Healing. https://www.santecenter.com/rehab-blog/family-therapy-vs-individual-therapy-which-one-is-better/

References

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

Comprehensive MedPsych Systems. (2021, January 12). The goals and benefits of family therapy. https://www.medpsych.net/2021/01/12/
the-goals-and-benefits-of-family-therapy/

Devlin, A. (2024, June 21). Family therapy vs individual therapy. Understanding the differences and choosing the right approach. Mindful Healing. https://mindfulhealing.com/family-therapy-vs-individual-therapy-understanding-the-differences-and-choosing-the-right-approach/

Good Health Psychiatric Services. (2023, January 31). Key benefits of family therapy and its limitations. https://goodhealthpsych.com/blog/
benefits-of-family-therapy-and-its-limitations/

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

Murph, J.H. (2020, September 25). Family therapy vs. individual therapy: Which one is better? Sante Center for Healing. https://www.santecenter.com/rehab-blog/family-therapy-vs-individual-therapy-which-one-is-better/

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