Family Therapy as a Dynamic Balance of Action and Inaction. To Act or Not to Act – Dilemmas in Family Therapy

Four principles of ethical questioning in family therapy dilemmas are the basis for ethical questions in family therapy as a guideline for to act, how to act, or not to act. An example of an ethical dilemma from the practice of family therapy is described. A “package insert” for family and couples therapy as information about family therapy is comparable to information on the effects of medication: Why not apply the same standard when it comes to effective procedures? Methods of family therapy and individual therapy have been developed side by side and one after the other, for which a clear differential indication and systematization of application still needs to be developed. An experience- and outcome-based family therapy (EBF) could be the goal. The therapeutic position and a guideline for families in therapy are discussed. The application of a five step process model to find out and to solve the ethical questions is developed and presented. We dare to present the thesis that a differential family therapy based on effect and side effect studies with informed consent of the patients or family members can be the basis for a critical classification of the methods to a general “Evidence Based Family Therapy” (experience based family therapy).