As index patient into therapeutic offside? Children in systemic family therapy and counseling

Since systemic therapy and counseling approaches have become established in child guidance, and children and adolescent psychiatry the understanding for children in the therapeutic context has also changed. They are part of the family system who, with their symptoms, point to restricting reality constructions and interaction patterns which create suffering tinder patients). They are often treated correspondingly in the family setting. On this background this article investigates the special situation of children in the practice of systemic family therapy. The few results from studies from practice research dealing with this subject are compared with system-theoretical basic assumptions. The results indicate that the children are only insufficiently integrated into the therapy sessions and are excluded partly. They often experience the family discussions as being adult-oriented and feel that their needs and views are considered only slightly. Possible causes for this may be expecting too much emotionally and/or cognitively especially from younger children with family-oriented methods (such as circular questioning) as well as deficits in the training of family therapists. The closing thoughts on the therapeutic implications from the presented results include suggestions on methodical approaches more suitable for children and a reflected therapeutic attitude (transparency, participation, respect) towards children.