As a branch of psychology, family therapy, also known as couple and family therapy, marriage and family therapy, family systems therapy, and family counseling, seeks to promote change and development within families and relationships. Usually it focuses on the relationships between family members when analyzing change.

In spite of the differences in approaches, all families therapy schools believe that, regardless of its origin, and regardless of whether it is viewed as an individual or a family issue, involving families in solutions is often to the benefit of the client. It is common for family members to participate directly in therapy sessions as part of this involvement. Consequently, a family therapist must be able to influence conversations in a way that makes use of the strengths, wisdom, and support of the family as a whole.

During the field’s early years, most clinicians defined the family in a narrow, traditional manner, usually including parents and children. Throughout the years, the concept of a family has increasingly been defined as a group of people, even if they are not related by blood or marriage, who are clearly supportive of one another. Researchers have applied the conceptual frameworks developed by family therapists, especially those of family systems theorists, to a broad range of human behavior, including organizational dynamics and the study of greatness.

A typical number of sessions is between 5 and 20 depending on the situation. The family therapist usually meets with several members of the family at the same time. This has the benefit of highlighting differences between the ways family members perceive mutual relations as well as interaction patterns in the session, both for the therapist and the family. Even though the therapist is now an integral part of the family, these patterns often mirror those at home.