Family therapy's most obvious advantages are improved communication skills and assistance in treating mental health issues that affect the family unit (substance use disorders, depression, trauma, and other matters). When considering how to best help an individual, it makes sense to include the entire family system for the most effective form of treatment. A person does not live in isolation and should not be treated in isolation.

Family therapy is a theory of treatment and can be utilized even if only one person in the family works with the therapist. According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, counseling can assist families in overcoming problems in their personal and professional life. This can happen simply by working with an individual on how to deal with and relate to their family systems, co-workers, and friends.

Peer reviewed studies show that couples counseling is an excellent strategy to repair the functioning of a marriage before it runs off the rails. Couples seek counseling for several reasons, but two of the most prevalent are strengthening communication abilities and regaining intimacy.