Family as a Whole

Looking for a Cause
Most of the time when family conflicts arise or just conflicts in general, people seek to identify who the bad guy is. Whose fault is it? Who do we blame? But in a family or in any relationship, it shouldn't be who caused what, it should be what pattern is occurring and how can it be resolved. Identifying the "perpetrator" does not really solve much. The battle of "I'm right and you're wrong" only ends in a tired struggle with the couple or family no closer to becoming functional and happy again.
Not Only the Individual
When trying to solve a problem within a family, you cannot only focus on the individuals directly affected, but the whole family. For example, if one member of the family is struggling with an eating disorder, you cannot only work with that individual to help them overcome the disorder. Especially if they are a young teen at home, the family needs to be involved to discourage the behaviors related to the disorder and to see if their opinions or behaviors are contributing to the disorder.