The Family Systems theory describes the family as an emotional unit and individuals as interconnected parts of that unit. There are a number of concepts that represent the theory. For example, Emotional Cutoff describes a situation when an individual is not able to deal with unresolved issues or anxiety caused by the relationships and, because of that, reduces either physical or emotional contact with family members. That might lead to problems in other relationships, so in family therapy, it is important to explore any unresolved issues of a client with their family members. Family Projection Process refers to a situation when a child in the family develops problems because of their parents’ anxiety. In this situation, a therapist might want to focus their attention on the parents rather than the child. Sibling Position explores how an individual’s personality and behavior might in some ways depend on their sibling position, since oldest children, for example, tend to have similar traits and roles in their respective families (Mahmud, Ibrahim, Amat, & Salleh, 2011). Therefore, it might be important for a therapist to take a client’s sibling position into account.
References
Mahmud, Z., Ibrahim, H., Amat, S., & Salleh, A. (2011). Family communication, sibling position and adolescents’ sense of responsibility. World Applied Sciences Journal, 14(4), 74-80.