Family problems can cause untold suffering and symptoms. They can also be very complex so the sooner treatment is started, the better; and while these conflicts often do cause people to seek psychological or marriage counseling, they usually procrastinate, making improvement more difficult. A couple can experience problems because of a medical or psychological problem in either person, or in one of their children. Parent-child problems can also create turmoil. Communication and discipline problems are very common and battles between siblings and the parents seem to make the problems even worse. Divorce and the creation of stepfamilies can create difficulties, sometimes, for all members of the family. Sometimes the couple itself is the problem because of poor communication, continuous conflict, alienation, sexual problems, or in-law problems.

Problems like these often lead to adjustment issues in family members. Since the family relationships are a part of the problem, it may be necessary to change their very structure. A family therapist may provide marriage counseling or family therapy to address these issues or help parents improve their parenting skills.

Sometimes multiple problems exist such as, depression in one family member, plus conflict in the marriage itself. Several treatment approaches may be necessary in these circumstances. Only infrequently, will a psychologist provide individual psychotherapy to one member of the family, and simultaneously treat the whole family or the couple. However, one exception is that often family treatment for child behavior problems will include individual sessions with the parents. However, these sessions are designed to help with parenting skills only. While it is possible to provide individual psychotherapy to two family members, psychologists have to evaluate its possible effectiveness on a per case basis.

Psychologists doing family therapy or marriage counseling often have received specialized training in family systems theory and in family and marriage therapy skills. When you contact a psychologist for family or marriage counseling, do not hesitate to ask about his/her family therapy training.