You are sitting in a case staffing meeting at your agency while several other social workers are discussing their new cases and receiving feedback and suggestions. Of the four following situations, which one WOULD NOT lend itself to family therapy…?

The correct answer is A .This is a situation where one member of a structural unit needs to leave (or be pushed out) of the structural unit. Individual therapy and crisis intervention during the separation are the best possible therapy choices. Family therapy may be appropriate after the separation and after a set period of time has passed, in order to explore the new role.
B is INCORRECT Divorce is usually a nasty business and the children often get the nastiest end of the stick. If there ever was a time for family therapy, it would be now. The family should explore its new roles and the expectations, both stated and implied, which are going to change in the new structure.
C is INCORRECT. An eating disorder is almost always a family therapy issue. Structural Family Therapy (Salvador Minuchin) would argue that only by restructuring all the roles in the family, can you help the individual with an eating disorder.
D is INCORRECT. All families are a structural unit with various roles ascribed to each member. When one family member’s role begins to change because of growing awareness in therapy, the entire system will begin to destabilize and cause other family members stress until it again reaches a state of equilibrium. Another way to look at it is that family therapy will cause everyone some distress. That is kind of its purpose as it helps the family re-shape themselves.