Family therapy is a type of counseling that is focused on the family system as a whole and is typically used to help couples and families resolve conflict and dysfunction, repair fractured relationships, learn new ways to face and solve problems and navigate difficulties such as communication issues, relationship issues, and parenting challenges. Family counseling can help family members work through their conflicts and learn to communicate better and ultimately, develop healthier family relationships overall.
Family counseling is an ideal option for people in any type of family including traditional, blended, and foster families.
What Does Family Counseling Consist of?
Your family sessions can be attended by any number of the family members that are involved in the core family unit. We provide a private environment that encourages everyone to feel secure in opening up to share as well as listening to each other.
We encourage you to bring all members of the family as this helps build relationships as well as helps us to assess hidden issues and problems as well as identify the patterns that may be affecting the family dynamics. Your counseling sessions typically include discussions about the family’s history, dynamics, and problems. It can also include education on effective communication skills and problem-solving methods.
We will work with you and your family to determine the best course of therapy – including the decision to work with individual or group therapy sessions to help members work through personal issues that are affecting their relationships with other family members.
Family counseling or therapy can be helpful in the following ways:
- It can help improve relationships between family members by helping them understand each other better and resolving conflicts peacefully.
- It can help spouses or partners gain more insight into their own behavior and learn how to change problematic behaviors.
- It may also enable parents to better understand their children’s emotions and perspectives, leading to improved parent–child relations.
There can be many benefits to finding a therapist your family relates well with and attending sessions for family therapy. For one, it can improve your relationship with your spouse or partner. It can also help you deal more effectively with challenging issues such as depression or anxiety; problems at home may be symptomatic of deeper issues that need treatment elsewhere. In some cases, family therapy may even lead to reconciliation between estranged parents or siblings.
If you’re considering seeking out family therapy for yourself or someone you love, there are several things to keep in mind:
- Consult with a qualified therapist who will tailor the treatment specifically for your needs;
- Discuss any potential risks for confidentiality since you are sharing the therapy sessions with multiple members of the family ;
- And, finally, be patient – sessions often take time (up to 45 minutes per session) but they’re worth it!