Structural Family Therapy (SFT)

Structural Family Therapy (SFT): Dr. Salvador Minuchin is considered one of the pioneers of Family Therapy.

Three principles of SFT include:

1. People co-construct each other. What one person does has an impact on another (example: to the extent that dad is incredibly laissez faire and over-nurturant, mom is punitive and hard).
2. One person in the family may present the symptom, but the ways in which other members interact maintain or decrease the symptom (example: if son is depressed, and parents are anxious to hold him accountable – including regular school attendance – son has little incentive to have to “rally” and get up in the morning, and may become more depressed).
3. Families are resilient, possess many “hidden treasures”, and have capacity for growth and wellness. As people experience each other in a different context, change can happen.

Visit www.minuchincenter.org for more information.