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Family counseling / family therapy is a form of therapy in which a family seeks assistance from a professional to resolve conflict and/or improve communication within the unit - including a focus on the overall functioning of the family system, creating healthy attachment, establishing boundaries, addressing behavior challenges, and much more. The therapeutic process can be short term or long term depending on the goals of the family.
Your therapist / counselor may want to meet with each member of the family separately to get a perspective of what goals need to be met for each individual, which will help the family’s goals long term. They will then meet with the entire family unit in therapy sessions.
Each Grow therapist, will meet each family where they are today, and work with each member and the entire family unit to create a highly supportive and open counseling environment to ensure growth across the family system.
Families provide an unwavering foundation of love, support, and belonging for each member that is a functional part of the family system. Nevertheless, for many, family relationships can also be a tremendously significant source of stress and conflict. Navigating these challenges and resolving family conflicts may seem overwhelming at times; however, family therapy can offer valuable insights and strategies to ensure your family system is founded on growth-oriented values, accountability and connection / healthy attachment.
Whether you're dealing with everyday issues or perhaps more serious concerns, therapy can help you better understand your family dynamics, communicate more effectively, and create a healthier family environment for all involved.
Every family is unique, and the reasons for seeking therapy can vary. A family may seek counseling when they encounter difficulties in resolving emotional issues, improving communication, or understanding the underlying causes of conflict. Therapy can help families identify these patterns and develop strategies for long-term harmony.
Family conflicts can take many forms, and may involve one or several members. Sometimes these conflicts are rooted in mental health issues or substance abuse, while other times they stem from parenting struggles, youth behavioral concerns, or domestic violence.
A trained family therapist can help address these issues in a way that focuses on the family unit as a whole. Family systems therapy, for example, looks at how family members interact with each other and how their individual behaviors affect the group dynamic. By working with a counselor, families can develop healthier patterns of interaction and resilience, rather than focusing on individual shortcomings.
When family problems are left unresolved, they can escalate into a crisis. Crises may include events like divorce, a sudden loss, a child services investigation, an unexpected pregnancy, or the incarceration of a family member. These situations can cause significant stress and emotional turmoil, but with professional guidance, families can work through the most intense moments of crisis and emerge stronger.
Family therapy often involves working through a process that helps families adapt to these challenges. This process includes five phases:
While crises are difficult, they often provide opportunities for positive change - for each member of the family system. Often, we have to see something "break" to recognize that repair and growth is crucial.
Regardless, family therapy isn’t just for major family crisis situations. It can guide each family member in working together to resolve smaller communication breakdowns, behavior challenges and conflicts before they become larger issues, which are far more challenging to address. Common goals for therapy include:
While some families may come to therapy with a clear sense of their goals, others may begin to identify objectives during the counseling process. Regardless of where your family starts, therapy offers a safe, neutral space for open communication, emotional expression, and idea generation.
Ideally, family therapy is a proactive made by family decision makers. By seeking counseling early, families can address potential problems before they escalate. However, it's never too late to start. Whether your family is dealing with a specific challenge or just wants to improve communication, consulting a marriage and family therapist is always a step in the right direction.
Family therapy is often time-limited and focused on achieving specific, achievable goals. The number of sessions needed varies depending on the family's circumstances, but many families find that the skills learned in therapy can be applied in real-life situations, helping to create lasting change.
In addition to therapy, family counselors may recommend strategies to help manage mental health challenges outside of sessions. Some techniques families can practice at home include:
Family therapy can be a transformative experience for families of all types, helping members understand each other better, resolve conflicts more effectively, and create lasting, positive change. If you're curious about family counseling or want to learn more, connecting with a trained marriage and family therapist can help you get started on the path to healing and growth.
