Dr. Michael Nichols currently serves as a Professor of Psychology at William & Mary and has been a leading teacher and practitioner of Family Therapy for over 40 years. He is the author of many revolutionary books, including Stop Arguing with Your Kids, The Lost Art of Listening, The Essentials of Family Therapy, which is currently in its sixth edition, and Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods, which is currently in its 11th edition.

Family Therapy is a strength-based, outcome-oriented treatment that focuses on the interaction between the individual and his or her family.  According to Family Therapy, our behaviors are a function of our relations with others, and Family Therapy examines the interplay among family members, rather than focusing solely on individuals. The role of the family therapist is to discover each member’s underutilized strengths and to help him or her move past negative patterns of communication that interfere with the family’s health and functioning. After observing how your family interacts, the therapist will draw a chart, or map, of your family’s structure. Since there is an overall organization or structure that maintains a family's dysfunctional interactions, this chart helps identify the hierarchy, family subsystems, and boundaries (both rigid and flexible) within the family unit, such as the relationship between parents or between one parent and one particular child. Using this plan, the therapist can also see where changes are needed and what type of interventions will help restructure the family.

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Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is not a substitute for getting help from a mental health professional.