The article describes the development of a family therapy project in an institute for mental health. The selection for family therapy revealed a great number of families (±. 30%) in which, apart from the referred individual, more family members had already asked for professional assistance for their mental health problems. About a 100 families were screened and from the referrals to the Parent and Childhood Clinic the indication for family therapy was positive in 25% of the cases. From the referrals to the Marriage Counseling Bureau and the For and After Care Service the percentage was only 10%. It could be concluded from the treatment experience that scape-goating was mostly apt to disappear quite soon during treatment. Changing relation patters based on vested interests in the family setting is quite a time taking proces.