What is the overall goal of Contextual Family Therapy?

The overall goal of Contextual Family Therapy is to address injustices and distrust within familial relationships that lead to dysfunction. This therapeutic model, developed by Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, emphasizes the importance of relational ethics and the balance of power within family dynamics. It posits that unresolved issues, especially those related to fairness and loyalty, can create a sense of betrayal or emotional debt among family members, which can severely affect their interactions and overall family health.

By focusing on these underlying issues of injustice and distrust, the therapist facilitates dialogue that allows family members to acknowledge and address past grievances, thus enabling them to rebuild trust and establish healthier patterns of interaction. This therapeutic approach aims to restore balance in relationships, ensuring that emotional needs are met in a way that feels equitable to all members of the family.

This is distinct from other options, which, while relevant to some aspects of therapy, do not encapsulate the primary focus of Contextual Family Therapy. Enhancing communication, for example, is often a byproduct of addressing deeper relational issues, but it is not the ultimate goal of this specific therapeutic approach. Similarly, encouraging individual independence or focusing solely on behavioral changes does not align with the foundational principles of Contextual Family Therapy, which is more concerned with the