What is included in the termination criteria for Strategic Family Therapy?

In Strategic Family Therapy, termination criteria primarily focus on the resolution of the presenting problem that brought the family into therapy. This approach emphasizes the importance of achieving the specific goals set at the beginning of the therapeutic process, which typically aim to alter dysfunctional family dynamics and improve interaction patterns. When the presenting issue is effectively addressed, and family members report improved relationships or have learned new communication strategies, it indicates that therapy has been successful and termination is warranted.

The focus is not on the completion of a predetermined number of sessions or the immediate reintegration of family members, as not all therapy needs can be neatly contained within a session count, nor does effective therapy always lead to reintegration—particularly in cases where boundaries may need to be maintained for healthy family functioning. Furthermore, establishing new therapy goals does not serve as a criterion for termination; rather, it might signal the need for continued therapy rather than concluding the current therapeutic process.