Family System theory helps couples to understand patterns of relating to their partners through understanding the learning passed on through their own families.
The legacy of any family is the passing on the parents’ interaction patterns, beliefs, assumptions, behaviours, values, customs, knowledge about the world, and interests.
Family counselling may include gathering a three generation family history back to the grandparents of an individual, couple or family for the purpose of understanding and treating entrenched dysfunctional family dynamics and patterns that continue to play out in the person’s life.
Dysfunctional as well as healthy patterns are acquired through the normal parenting and socialization process. They play out in a person’s adult life out of awareness unless brought to attention through counselling and therapy.