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Your guide to family therapy intake forms (with templates)

New family therapy clients mean unique considerations for their intake form. Headway helps you gather critical information with our guide to family therapy intake forms.

In order to work with family therapy clients for the first session, you need to be equipped with the right tools. Utilizing intake forms designed for individual or couples therapy will not be sufficient. You have to ask the right questions that will build rapport and gain relevant information in a family context. 

Effective family intake questions gather a range of background information, clarify goals for treatment, and develop a picture of the family’s connections and challenges. The use of an intake template can help you cover these topics and ensure a successful first session.

Examples of common questions on a family therapy intake form

Family intake sessions typically include a core set of questions. The responses to these are recorded in your intake note and guide your initial clinical impressions.

Compliance tip: For insurance billing purposes, family therapy must always have an "identified patient" — the individual whose diagnosis is being treated and whose insurance is billed for the session. Be sure your intake form and documentation clearly indicate who this person is. Missing this detail is one of the most common reasons family therapy claims are denied.

Questions about client background 

Begin with simple questions to ease the family into the conversation. Background questions help you get to know the family and gather information on essential context. 


Topics covered in this section: 

  • Client names and ages
  • Gender identity 
  • Family members present in therapy and not present in therapy
  • Current living situation 
  • Relationship status of caretakers
  • Previous relationships and blended family information
  • Cultural and ethnic background
  • Languages spoken and any need of translation services
  • Medical history 
  • Mental health history 
  • Substance use history
  • History and results of previous family therapy
  • Major recent changes or life events
  • Support network outside of the family

Questions about family therapy goals and motivators 

Once the family background has been established, the next step is to explore the family’s goals and motivations for seeking therapy. Relevant topics and examples of questions include:


Reason for therapy 

  • What caused the family to reach out for therapy?
  • What are you hoping would change for the family after going through therapy?
  • What challenges have been affecting your family the most? 


Rules/expectations

  • What are some expectations you have for each other and for me as your therapist?
  • What are some ground rules that we should establish together for therapy (e.g. no interruptions)? 


Future hopes

  • What do you think would happen for your family in the future if you worked through the current challenges?
  • What do you picture for the family down the road?


As these answers are captured from the family, these can be turned into a treatment plan. Using the Wiley treatment planner is a quick and effective way to build those client treatment plans. 

Questions about family values and connections 

The next section of the intake explores family values and connections in the family. This provides a fuller picture of the relationships and dynamics within the family.  


Family lessons learned

  • What have you learned about what works and doesn’t work within the family? 
  • What have you learned from previous challenges that you try to apply now? 


Moments of connection

  • When does your family feel most connected to one another?
  • How do you reconnect after periods of distance or conflict?


Parenting styles 

  • How is parenting approached in the family? 
  • How do you handle disagreements in parenting? 


Communication styles

  • How do you typically communicate with one another?
  • How do family members express disagreement or conflict?


Personal values 

  • What are the values each of you hold individually? How are these aligned or different from other family members?


Family values 

  • Are there any shared values you hold as a family?
  • How do these values shape how you live out life together?

 

Quality time 

  • How much time do you spend together?
  • What activities make you feel most connected?


Coping skills

  • How do you cope with difficult moments? As a family and individually?
  • Do you have any coping skills that you have found to be helpful?

Example of family therapy intake form

This template provides structure for an initial family therapy assessment. You can adapt questions as needed based on the family's unique circumstances and presenting concerns. Try to use a conversational approach rather than a rigid questionnaire.

Section 1: Family background and history

Basic information

  • Client names and ages
  • Identified patient name
  • Names of all family members
  • Ages of all family members


Relationship status

  • How long have the parents been together?
  • If parents are separated, what is the custody arrangement?


Living arrangements

  • Who lives in the home?
  • How long have you lived at your current residence?


Family history and timeline

  • Where are your family roots?
  • How would you describe your family's culture or background?
  • What are some significant events in your family history?
  • Have there been any major transitions or changes recently?


Health and wellness

  • Are there any significant health issues for family members?
  • Have you had any previous counseling experiences?
  • Are there any diagnosed mental health conditions for any family members?
  • Who do family members turn to for support?
  • What community resources does the family utilize?

Section 2: Questions about family therapy goals and motivators

Presenting concerns

  • What brings you to therapy now?
  • When did these issues begin?
  • How have these issues affected each family member?
  • What would need to change for you to feel therapy has been successful?


Previous solutions

  • What solutions have you already tried?
  • What has worked well for your family in the past when facing challenges?
  • What has not worked?


Expectations and hopes

  • What are your expectations for therapy?
  • What would you like to be different in your family after therapy?
  • How would relationships look different if therapy is successful?


Family values and connections

  • What are the most important lessons that you've learned from your family?
  • What lessons would you like to pass on to future generations?
  • When does your family feel most connected to each other?
  • Describe a time when your family worked well together.
  • What values does your family share?
  • How are these values demonstrated in your family life?
  • Are there differences in values among family members? How are these navigated?
  • What values are most important to each of you as individuals?
  • How do you try to live out these values in daily life?


Parenting styles and communication patterns

  • How would you describe your parenting style?
  • How similar or different are the parenting approaches in your family?
  • What parenting challenges are you currently facing?
  • How does your family typically communicate with each other?
  • How do family members express disagreement or conflict?
  • What topics are easy and difficult to discuss in your family?


Quality time and coping skills

  • How does your family spend time together?
  • What activities would you like to do more of as a family?
  • What prevents your family from spending quality time together?
  • How does your family typically handle stress?
  • What strategies do individual family members use to cope with difficulties?
  • What would help your family cope better with current challenges?

After completing the intake, you will write up a note. Here is an example of how to write an effective family therapy note. 

Build your best practice with Headway.

Use this guide and template to achieve a successful first family session. An effective family intake section sets the foundation for the treatment plan and ongoing work with the family. Headway provides a simple platform to manage billing insurance, intake notes, session notes and treatment plans. By simplifying the administration process, Headway allows you to focus on what matters most — your clients.

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