Foundations in Family Therapy

2 CEUs*

*pre-approved by the MN Board of Marriage and Family Therapy, MN Board of Social Work, MN Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy, and MN Board of Psychology

Family Systems Theory

Family systems theory, as it is applied to therapy practice, helps drive the clinical position that effective child-treatment must incorporate the people that are important to and have influence upon children’s wellbeing. We recognize that children live in and are influenced by diverse environmental contexts. The family system is one of the child’s most impactful environments. There is an empirically supported relationship between family functioning and child functioning – family problems contribute to child problems and family health contributes to child health. Therefore, including family members in treatment helps therapists determine the ways the family's functioning positively and negatively contributes to the child’s individual functioning.

Ecological Theory

Ecological theory, pioneered by Uri Bronfenbrenner (1979), endorses many concepts associated with general systems theory. Most relevant is the idea that micro- and macro-level contexts mutually interact with and influence each other. Linking this to an understanding of children’s mental health promotes a highly collaborative, multi-disciplined approach to treatment. Furthermore, it promotes professional awareness of, integration with, and participation in multiple systems to improve therapeutic outcomes and overall child-wellbeing. Ecological theory promotes biopsychosocial-spiritual insights which encourage thorough assessment of client and family needs and resources, collaboration with multiple providers during treatment, and awareness of environmental factors that guide intervention efforts. Ecological models recognize the contributions of environmental supports and stresses upon treatment outcomes. 

Course Objectives

• Understand theories that support family therapy and other multi-systemic approaches to treatment.
• Create a link between family systems principles and the concepts related to child development and attachment.
• Begin to understand the implications of these theories and frameworks for clinical practice.