Marital and family difficulties are among the greatest human stressors. Problems with money, sex, children, and in-laws can be major sources of family stress and discord. In marital/family therapy, these situations are addressed, and means of dealing with them are explored. While many marital/family problems cannot be eliminated, people can learn more effective skills to understand, communicate, and cope with the conflicting demands of marital/family life.

While this type of therapy usually involves two or more people, many will benefit from individual therapy that focuses on their role within a marital/family relationship.