Structural Family Therapy

Front 1

structural family therapy assumptions

Back 1

Families respond best to interventions that use a here-and-now, directive, and concrete approach; based on concepts of family structure, subsystems, and boundaries

Front 2

Family structure

Back 2

All families have an implicit structure that determines how family members relate to one another

Front 3

Alignments

Back 3

The ways in which family members join or oppose one another and carrying out family activities, have to do with emotional or psychological connections between members

Front 4

Triangulation

Back 4

Each parent in the family demands that a child ally with him or her against the other parent

Front 5

Coalitions

Back 5

Alliances between specific family members against the third member. Stable coalition remains fixed; detouring coalition holds a third member responsible for problems to reduce stress on themselves

Front 6

Power

Back 6

Concerned with both authority and responsibility

Front 7

Disengaged family

Back 7

Family members are isolated, usually when boundaries are overly rigid

Front 8

Enmeshed family

Back 8

Family members are over dependent and close, usually when boundaries are too defuse or permeable

Front 9

structural family therapy goals

Back 9

Restructuring the family is the main long-term goal, they also address of one or more short-term goals such as behaviors

Front 10

structural family therapy techniques

Back 10

Based on the premise that action precedes understanding, geared more toward changing behaviors and transactions

1. Joining

2. Evaluating family structure

3. Restructuring the family

Front 11

Tracking

Back 11

Identifying and using the family values, life themes, and significant life events in conversations

Front 12

Mimesis

Back 12

Adopting the family's affective and communication style

Front 13

Enactment

Back 13

Family members roleplay relationship patterns so that they can be identified and altered

Front 14

Reframing

Back 14

Relabeling of behaviour in order to view them in more positive ways