Research has repeatedly shown the benefits of marriage and family therapy. It is effective in treating a variety of mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions. Drugs abuse, depression, alcoholism, obesity are all commonly treated in these sessions along with marital distress and conflict. Those who engage in marriage and family therapy learn work productively, both independent from and together with, their partner or family member(s). Co-worker relationships, family relationship, partner relationship are all candidate relationships for this therapy. The overall benefits include improves relationships, emotional health, overall health, social life and community involvement.
A family’s patterns of behavior influence the individual and therefore may need to be a part of the treatment plan. In marriage and family therapy, the unit of treatment isn’t just the person – even if only a single person is interviewed – it is the set of relationships in which the person is embedded.