Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Practice

What goal does strategic family therapy primarily aim to achieve?

1. To gain insights into family history

2. To resolve a problem by focusing on behavioral sequences

3. To enhance communication within the family

4. To develop insight into personal issues

The correct answer is: To resolve a problem by focusing on behavioral sequences

Strategic family therapy primarily focuses on resolving specific problems by examining and altering behavioral sequences within the family dynamics. This therapeutic approach emphasizes the observation of interactions and communication patterns among family members. The therapist works to identify maladaptive behaviors or patterns that contribute to the family’s struggles and systematically develops strategies to bring about change. Rather than diving deeply into family history or individual insights, which are more aligned with approaches like psychodynamic therapy or person-centered therapy, strategic family therapy remains focused on the present and how behaviors perpetuate issues. The goal is to find practical solutions that address the problem directly by implementing change in observed interactions, making option B the most accurate reflection of the therapy's primary aim. This targeted approach often leads to quicker resolutions of issues by actively restructuring interactions, thus facilitating healthier relational dynamics.