What is structural family therapy?
Structural family therapy (SFT) was developed in the 1970s by Salvador Minuchin, a family therapist. This talking therapy supports families in expressing their thoughts and emotions more openly and constructively, and is one of several approaches to family therapy.
Salvador Minuchin’s structural family therapy views the family as one big interconnected system, where everybody affects everyone else. Structural family theory suggests that one person’s symptoms may sometimes reflect difficulties within family relationships. Therefore, rather than placing the blame entirely on one person, SFT explores how interaction patterns between family members might be contributing to problems.
The overall goal of SFT is to resolve conflicts and address mental health and behavioural issues by improving family communication, clarifying roles and boundaries, and creating stronger relationships. Rather than changing one individual, the aim is to help the people in the family work together in healthier ways.
To put it simply, instead of asking, “Who is causing the problem?” structural family therapy asks, “How is the family working together, and what might need to change?”
How does structural family therapy work?
In Minuchin’s structural family therapy, the therapist takes an active role by observing interactions between everyone involved, identifying relationship patterns, and helping family members develop healthier ways of communicating.
Three core concepts lie at the heart of SFT:
- Family structure: Families naturally form smaller groups known as ‘subsystems’, such as parents, siblings, or grandparents.
- Boundaries: These are the invisible lines that control how much closeness or distance there is between family members.
- Hierarchies: Hierarchies represent the balance of power and authority in a family, usually led by the parents.
Depending on your family’s needs, the therapist may use structural family therapy interventions such as:
- Observing how loved ones interact;
- Asking family members to role-play conversations or disagreements;
- Helping people establish healthier boundaries;
- Encouraging different ways of responding to conflict.
The primary goal is to adjust the family structure so that the parents have healthy authority and children have room to grow, creating a stable environment that can naturally support improvements in symptoms.
Over time, SFT can help repair unhelpful relationship patterns so that families interact in a healthy, balanced way.
What happens during a structural family therapy session?
Structural family therapy sessions last for 50-60 minutes, with appointments typically occurring every week for three to six months.
Ideally, all household members attend the initial sessions. However, the therapist may also ask specific family members (such as siblings or parents) to step out or attend separate sessions to work on specific boundaries.
Overarching family structural goals are discussed and agreed upon within the first few sessions. Some examples of goals may include:
- Strengthening parental bonds;
- Creating clear rules for children.
While many talking therapies begin by checking in on how everyone’s week has been, SFT works differently. Although the therapist may greet everyone briefly, their role is to directly observe real-time interactions between everyone involved, guide conversations, and notice unwritten family rules. For example, the therapist may notice where people decide to sit, who speaks first, and whether anyone interrupts other people in the family. These small details can reveal a great deal about family dynamics.
During SFT sessions, therapists may use specific interventions to help families achieve their initial goals. For instance, they may ask everyone involved to act out a recent argument, allowing the therapist to pause the conversation at certain points and show the family how to talk, listen, and react differently.
In doing so, structural family therapy allows families to begin recognising patterns they hadn’t previously noticed.
What issues can family structure therapy help with?
SFT focuses on helping families improve their communication, boundaries, and relationships. Structural family therapy may be helpful for:
- Behavioural difficulties;
- Communication problems;
- Family conflict;
- Divorce;
- Blended families;
- Grief;
- Adolescent mental health;
- Eating disorders;
- Substance misuse;
- Adjusting to major life changes.
This approach can be particularly useful when the difficulties seem to involve the whole family rather than one person on their own.
Who might benefit from structural family therapy?
Structural family therapy may be particularly helpful if:
- Your household feels ‘stuck’ repeating unhelpful patterns;
- The same arguments seem to keep repeating themselves between loved ones;
- Roles in the family have changed;
- You are experiencing difficulties with parenting;
- Your family is going through a major transition.
Things to consider
Rather than seeing one person as being the ‘problem’, structural family therapy encourages everyone to explore how their relationships influence their wellbeing.
Like many forms of therapy, structural family therapy works best when everyone is willing to take part and engage with the process. It’s also not an immediate fix, and meaningful change often happens gradually, requiring time, effort, and patience.
Every family is different, so it’s important to think about which therapy approach may be most suitable for your needs.
Finding a structural family therapist
If you’re considering structural family therapy, it can help to look for a registered family therapist who has experience with families and the type of challenges you are facing. Finding the right therapist is often the first step towards creating healthier family relationships. It’s perfectly okay to ask potential therapists about their experience working with families and whether structural family therapy forms part of their approach.
We list verified counsellors and therapists across the UK, making it easy to search by:
- Therapy type;
- Location;
- Format (online, phone, in-person, or home visits);
- Accessibility (such as wheelchair-accessible locations or hearing induction loops).
You can use our search to find a therapist who meets your needs, whenever you're ready.
Content attribution
This article was written by Hayley Snelling, a qualified counsellor and wellbeing and body confidence coach, as well as a professional writer at PsychWrite.
The content was commissioned by Counselling Directory.
