SAN DIEGO FAMILY SYSTEMS THERAPY
PERSONALIZED, FAMILY SYSTEMS THERAPY AT OUR SAN DIEGO CENTER
FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION, CALL 619-350-8220.

What Is Family Systems Therapy?

Family therapy is not about blaming one person; it’s about helping the family function better as a whole. When you receive treatment at a family systems therapy center in San Diego, you can expect therapy that works to resolve problems within the family unit. 

Family systems therapy was first developed in the 1950s by psychiatrist Murray Bowen. At that point, most psychological philosophies were based on Freudian therapies and centered around the individual. 

Bowen believed that changes in an individual could cause changes in the way an entire family functions. He sought to develop a therapeutic approach that could help families as a unit, not just the individual members. 

Our San Diego family systems approach to therapy can be helpful for treating:

• Family conflict
• Mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorders
• Substance use disorder
• Alcohol use disorder
• Coping with the disorders and disabilities of family members

Psychological problems such as addiction disorders often begin early in life and stem from issues that originate within the family. Even if problems don’t surface until later in life, San Diego family systems therapy treatment can help resolve them. 

Pacific Bay Recovery offers family systems therapy for alcohol addiction in San Diego. Call us today at (619)-350-8220 for more information.

How Does Family Systems Therapy in San Diego Work?

Family system therapy is based on the idea that family members are inextricably interconnected. Understanding the network of connections, including the patterns of conflict and communication, is necessary to address the problems of the individual. 

Many different techniques may be used in a family systems therapy clinic in San Diego. Couples therapy, narrative therapy, and intergenerational family therapy are a few of the most common. Whichever modalities are used, the key concepts of family systems therapy remain the same. 

Bowen based his family systems theory on eight separate but interlocking concepts. 

1. Triangles

A triangle is a three-person relationship, such as a child, mother, and father. Triangles are the bricks from which other emotional systems are built. 

2. Differentiation of the Self

Differentiation of the self refers to the ability to maintain individuality within a family. People with a high level of differentiation are more successful in pursuing independent goals, while those with poor differentiation are more reliant on the validation of others. 

3. Nuclear Family Emotional Process

This is a reference to the way a family interacts emotionally. Emotional process patterns may include conflict, dysfunction, or mistreatment of one or more family members.

4. Family Projection Process

Family projection refers to the reality that parents can transfer their problems onto their children. Projecting fear or anxiety onto a child will affect the way they develop and may create problems for other family members. 

5. Multigenerational Transmission Process

This is the theory that people choose partners with a similar level of differentiation. When people with poor differentiation parent together, their children and each following generation may have progressively lower differentiation levels. 

6. Emotional Cutoff

Some members may choose to remove themselves from the family group as a way to manage family conflict. Leaving conflicts unresolved can sabotage future reconciliation. 

7. Sibling Position

Bowen suggested that birth order impacts all areas of family dynamics, including how parents treat children, how they discipline them, and what they expect from them. 

8. Societal Emotional Process

This last concept of family systems therapy suggests that whatever impacts society also impacts the family unit. Families are shaped by cultural shifts and attitudes. 

To learn more about family systems therapy for drug abuse in San Diego, CA, call Pacific Bay Recovery today at (619)-350-8220.

Benefits of the San Diego Family Systems Approach to Therapy Help for Addiction Treatment

Family systems therapy specialists in California can help families struggling with various issues, including substance and alcohol use disorders and co-occurring conditions. 

For example, if a single family member is receiving or needs treatment for an addiction disorder, this approach can help family members understand concepts like codependency and enabling. 

Family therapy highlights how dysfunctional family relationships can negatively impact addiction. When family members understand how their actions may be contributing to their loved one’s behavior, they are in a better position to change those behaviors in order to support their loved one. 

Benefits of family systems therapy include:

• Healthier communication
• Better-functioning family unit
• Stronger connections between family members
• Improved teamwork

Family systems therapy addiction treatment in San Diego is always cost-effective. Addressing the family system as a whole is efficient and may require less time than asking each member to participate in therapy individually. 

Call Pacific Bay Recovery today at (619)-350-8220 for more about family systems therapy for addiction in San Diego.

Can Family Systems Therapy for Addiction in San Diego Help Your Family? 

Family systems therapy drug addiction treatment is a valuable part of a comprehensive treatment plan for both outpatient and inpatient programs. If your family has experienced conflict due to one member’s addiction, a family systems therapy rehab treatment in San Diego can help you heal unresolved problems and learn the skills needed to cope with future challenges. 

Call Pacific Bay Recovery today at (619)-350-8220 to start healing with the help of family systems therapy addiction treatment in San Diego.