A family can be a great source of support, comfort and love, or sometimes it can also be a great source of pain and grief. Crisis, such as health problems, mental illness, work problems or teenage rebellion may threaten to tear a family apart. Family therapy can help families weather such storms and help patch strained relationships by teaching new coping skills and improving how a family works together. Whether it's the individual, the spouse, a child or even a sibling or parent who's in crisis, family therapy can help all family members communicate better and learn to get along.

Typically, the family will examine its ability as a group to solve problems and express thoughts and emotions. Family roles, rules and behavior patterns may be explored in order to spot issues that contribute to conflict. Family therapy may help identify the family's strengths, such as caring for one another, and weaknesses, such as an inability to confide in one other. Family therapy can help pinpoint specific concerns and assess how each family is handling them. Guided by your clinician, family members may learn new ways to interact and overcome old problems.