What is Structural Family Therapy?

Structural Family Therapy (SFT) is an approach in understanding and treating psychological distress through the lens of family dynamics and organization. Developed in the 1960s by Salvador Minuchin and colleagues, this model views the family not simply as a group of individuals, but as a structured system full of interconnected subsystems. According to SFT, psychological symptoms usually reflect dysfunctions in the family’s organizational structure, rather than only existing within the individual. This therapeutic method has been effectively used in cases involving psychosomatic illness, eating disorders, and addiction.

Cotter Family on the Way Home, Painting by Marie Hauge, 1896

A main aspect of SFT is the belief that families must continually adapt their internal structures in response to life’s changing demands. Therapists adopting this approach work actively to “join” the family system, engaging with them directly to identify and transform maladaptive interaction patterns. The family is understood through subsystems such as the parental or sibling unit, and the boundaries that define who participates in which roles. Healthy families maintain clear but flexible boundaries that allow for connection and differentiation; by contrast, disengaged boundaries can contribute to ongoing emotional distress and relationship breakdowns.

Hierarchy within the family is also a core focus of structural family therapy. A well-functioning hierarchy can usually position the parents in a clear leadership role, creating stability for the child subsystem. When these lines of authority blur, such as when children assume parental roles or parents abdicate authority, families may experience power struggles, confusion, and emotional conflict. Structural therapy works to restore appropriate hierarchies by reinforcing clear leadership and responsibility within the family.

Patagonian Landscape with Single Tree Before Night Sky, Painting by Eduard von Buchan, 1832

Therapists using SFT also examine coalitions, alliances, and triangles which are groupings that reveal how family members align with or against one another, often unconsciously. While some alliances can be helpful in resolving problems, other patterns such as coalitions formed to exclude or undermine a third member, can reinforce dysfunction. Identifying and restructuring these patterns helps the family move toward healthier forms of communication and collaboration.

Importantly, structural family therapy acknowledges that there is no single ideal family configuration. This focuses on a family’s capacity to reorganize its structure in response to change. SFT provides an organized framework for understanding and supporting family life, although some critiques note that structural models may overlook power imbalances related to gender and identity. However, its emphasis on restructuring relationships still remains a common approach used in many therapeutic settings.