Family Therapy
What is Family Therapy?
Supporting families through separation, conflict and change
Family therapy provides a safe and supportive space for families to work through the challenges that can arise following separation, ongoing conflict, changes in family relationships, or other significant life events.
At Achieving Solutions Counselling & Mediation Services, family therapy is guided by one simple principle:
Every family is different, and every therapeutic journey should reflect that.
Rather than following a predetermined formula or working towards a fixed outcome within a particular timeframe, therapy responds to the needs, emotional readiness and lived experiences of the people involved, particularly the children.
Whether family therapy is privately arranged or ordered by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA), the focus remains the same, supporting families to move forward in a way that is safe, meaningful, comfortable for everyone and always in the best interests of the child.
How Family Therapy Works
Every family presents with its own history, relationships and challenges. For that reason, there is no single pathway through family therapy. The process is tailored to the individual needs of each family and may change as therapy progresses.
Family therapy commonly begins with individual appointments with each parent. These initial consultations provide an opportunity to understand the family history, current concerns, any Court Orders or other relevant documentation, and what each person hopes may be achieved through the therapeutic process.
Following these initial appointments, consideration is given to whether family therapy remains the most appropriate and supportive pathway for the family, and what the next steps may involve.
Where children are involved, their participation is carefully considered. Children may be seen individually, with a parent, or with another trusted adult depending on what is therapeutically appropriate. Whenever possible, children's appointments are conducted face to face, recognising the importance of creating a safe and comfortable environment in which they can engage.
As therapy progresses, appointments may include individual consultations, parent-child sessions, joint family sessions, or other therapeutic approaches depending on what is considered most beneficial at that time.
“Family therapy is not about forcing outcomes. It is about understanding people, respecting emotional readiness, protecting children, and helping families move forward in a way that is safe, meaningful and sustainable for everyone.”
— Josephine Byrnes-Luna
A Child-Led Process
Family therapy is often misunderstood, particularly in the context of separation, parenting arrangements and Court ordered matters.
It is not a process designed to achieve a particular outcome within a set timeframe, nor is it about encouraging a child to participate before they are ready.
The work is guided by the child’s emotional capacity, lived experience, and sense of safety, not by the urgency or expectations of the adults involved.
While there may be a strong desire to move things forward, meaningful progress cannot occur when a child feels overwhelmed, distressed or unable to engage.
Family therapy is about creating a space where a child can feel safe enough to participate over time.
Where a child indicates they are not ready, or becomes distressed about attending, further preparation, time, or a different therapeutic approach may be needed before the process can continue.
This is not a refusal to assist.
It is a considered therapeutic response to what is being observed in the child.
Family Therapy is Guided by Progress, Not a Predetermined Timeline
One of the most common misunderstandings about family therapy is that progress can be measured by the number of sessions completed.
In reality, meaningful therapeutic progress is not determined by a timetable or a predetermined number of appointments. It is guided by trust, emotional safety, insight, and a family's readiness to move forward.
Some families may progress relatively quickly, while others require additional time to build confidence, address long standing concerns, or rebuild relationships. Neither approach is right or wrong and every family's journey is unique.
Where children are involved, introducing parent-child sessions or progressing to further stages of therapy is based on professional therapeutic judgement and the child's emotional readiness, rather than simply reaching a particular point in the process.
The focus is always on achieving meaningful and lasting progress, rather than completing a set number of appointments.
The Focus of Family Therapy
Family therapy is not about determining who is right or wrong, assigning blame, or revisiting every disagreement that has occurred in the past.
The focus is on understanding the relationships within the family, reducing the impact of conflict on children, and supporting healthier communication and interactions moving forward.
For separated parents, this may involve developing a more respectful co-parenting relationship, improving communication, understanding the changing developmental needs of their children, and finding practical ways to reduce the children's exposure to ongoing parental conflict.
For families experiencing relationship difficulties, the goal is to strengthen understanding, rebuild trust where appropriate, and support healthier relationships over time.
While every family's goals will differ, the guiding principle remains the same, to support outcomes that promote the long term wellbeing of the children and the family as a whole.
Family Therapy and the Family Court (FCFCOA)
Josephine has extensive experience working with families involved in proceedings before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA), including matters involving high conflict parenting disputes, reunification, and complex family dynamics.
Family therapy may be recommended or ordered by the Court as a way of supporting children and families to improve relationships, communication, and parenting arrangements. While the Court may direct that family therapy take place, the therapeutic process itself remains guided by professional judgement, ethical practice, and the individual needs of the family.
Each family presents with different experiences, relationships and challenges. As therapy progresses, decisions about the most appropriate therapeutic approach, including the involvement of children, the timing of parent-child sessions, or the need for additional preparation, are based on ongoing therapeutic assessment rather than a predetermined pathway.
The aim is always to support meaningful engagement that is in the best interests of the child and provides the greatest opportunity for positive, lasting outcomes.
Family therapy is most effective when families are supported to engage with openness, patience and a genuine willingness to understand one another, recognising that lasting change rarely occurs through pressure alone.
“When people feel heard rather than judged, they become more willing to listen, reflect and understand one another. It is often there that meaningful change begins.”
— Josephine Byrnes-Luna
Before Commencing Family Therapy
To assist the therapeutic process and ensure everyone has a clear understanding of how family therapy operates, the following information may be helpful before your first appointment.
Initial appointments
Family therapy generally begins with individual appointments with each parent or participating adult before any involvement of children. This allows time to understand the family circumstances, review any relevant documentation and consider the most appropriate therapeutic pathway for the family.
Court documentation
Where Family Court Orders, parenting plans, reports or other relevant documentation are available and able to be released, these should be provided prior to the first appointment to assist in understanding the family circumstances.
Communication outside appointments
Family therapy is undertaken during scheduled consultation appointments. Therapeutic discussions, advice and decision making are not conducted by email, telephone or text message between sessions. This preserves the integrity of the therapeutic process, maintains appropriate professional boundaries, and ensures that therapeutic discussions occur within the full context of the family situation, where everyone has the opportunity to be heard in a safe and supported environment.
Confidentiality
The privacy of everyone involved in therapy is respected. Appointment dates, attendance, participation and therapeutic discussions remain confidential and are not routinely shared with parents, legal representatives or other third parties unless authorised, required by law, permitted within the therapeutic framework or otherwise professionally appropriate.
Children participate when they are ready
Children are encouraged, but never pressured, to participate in family therapy. Their emotional wellbeing and readiness remain central to the therapeutic process, and the approach may be adapted where additional preparation or support is needed.
Before Your First Appointment
Before Therapy Commences
Before your first appointment, all participating adults will be required to sign a Family Therapy or Client Agreement outlining the therapeutic process, confidentiality and the expectations of everyone involved.
You will also receive a secure electronic Client Information Form to complete. To ensure we have the information required to safely and professionally commence therapy, family therapy cannot begin until this information has been completed.
Relevant Documentation
Where available, Court Orders, parenting plans, reports or other relevant documentation should be provided before your first appointment to assist in understanding your family's circumstances.
Fees and Invoicing
An electronic invoice will be issued prior to your appointment. To assist with the smooth running of the practice, payment is appreciated on or before the day of your consultation, unless other arrangements have been made in advance.
Appointment Format
Adult appointments may be attended in person at our Camden office or via Zoom where appropriate. Children's appointments are generally conducted face to face.
Helpful Links and Information
Learn more about family therapy -
Family Therapy is not a Numbers Game
Family Therapy - A Child Led Process
When Family Therapy is Ordered by the Court (FCFCOA)
Your understanding, preparation and reflection on the focus of the future relationships and communication will be the key to progressing forward in Family Therapy, and, most importantly, in the best interests of your children. The following resources may provide some assistance to you.
You Can Separate Smarter Video – Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia