Family Therapy, Individual/family Therapy

Clients may believe that a particular therapist is the best choice because he or she is already well versed in the couple’s or family’s therapy issues. It feels safe to stay with the same professional.

You may have noticed that previously we referred to the potential shift from individual to couple or family therapy as the “ubiquitous temptation.” From a therapist’s perspective, it is almost always tempting to continue counseling when there has been some success with a client, or when a client expresses a strong preference to continue counseling with you, or when there is potential ?nancial gain from continuing counseling. We also refer to this as a temptation because close inspection of the reasons for shifting from individual to couple or family therapy reveals many potential problems or counterarguments. As you read about and re?ect on our views regarding this issue in individual/family therapy, keep in mind that we are expressing our professional opinion and bias-there are many therapists and counselors who disagree with this position.

Con?icts of Loyalty Perhaps the greatest reason to avoid shifting from individual to couple or family therapy is that con?icts of loyalty inevitably ensue. Speci?cally, unless the therapist makes great efforts to build trust and rapport with the original client’s romantic partner or family, the new parties are likely to believe the therapist holds a deeper loyalty to his or her original client. Additionally, if the therapist, for whatever reason, sides with the new therapy client against the original client, the original client may feel betrayed and abandoned. Consequently, the therapist can become stuck in a no win therapy bind; both or all clients may quickly suspect the therapist has already “sided” with the original client, or has switched allegiances. Such dynamics can add unnecessarily to an already dif?cult therapy task.