Family therapy may be indicated when families are characterised by high levels of overt or covert conflict that they have difficulty resolving.
Family therapy may assist when a new family member joins the family, for instance, the arrival of a new baby; when developing new family dynamics when parents re-marry (blended families); or in negotiating the changes accompanying the divorce of the parental subsystem.
Family therapy may also assist a family in grieving and adjusting to the loss of a family member or when a family member is diagnosed with an illness and the family needs education and assistance in adjusting to the diagnosis.