Does your family love and support one another unconditionally? Do you have fun together? Do you find talking with your spouse and children is easy and effective?
If you had to really pause and think about your answers to these questions, there’s a chance your family may not be as cohesive as you once thought or hoped. And that’s okay, not every family acts like something out of a 1950s television sitcom. Most have their own fair share of problems.
If you’ve never considered working with a therapist before, here are some benefits of family therapy:
Improved Communication:
There aren’t many families out there that have flawless communication skills. It’s actually far more common for family members to feel that they can’t open up to one another. This of course leads to a disconnect between spouses or parents and children.
A family therapist can facilitate effective and respectful communication between your family members.
You’ll Understand Your Kids Better:
Do you find yourself going confused in an attempt to understand why your one child lies so much? Are you scratching your head as to why your other child is constantly hitting your first child?
We all think because our kids are made from our DNA that we’ll have some magical insights into why they do what they do. The truth is, most parents are in a constant state of stupefaction over their child’s behavior.
Family therapy will help your child feel safe enough to express their thoughts and feelings, giving you many more connected moments.
Help Your Kids with Self-Esteem Issues:
Healthy self-esteem is the foundation for a successful life. But unfortunately, many kids grow up feeling less than confident or good about themselves. A child with low self-esteem may be the product of a parent with self-esteem challenges.
The great news is, a family therapist can help both children and their parents build up their self-esteem to become happier individuals and, a happier family.
Help You Deal with Grief:
Whether it’s a divorce or the loss of a loved one, or Covid Times related losses, most families are ill-equipped. This is especially true with sudden losses. A family therapist can guide each one of your family members through the stages of grief so they can heal.
Contact Abby:
If you’d like to explore treatment options, please reach out to me. I’d be more than happy to discuss how I may be able to you and your family through this difficult time.
Call (626) 755-4059 for a FREE, 20-minute phone consultation. Let’s co-create a plan of healing for your family.
SOURCES:
Family therapy for substance abuse treatment demands the management of complicated treatment situations. Obviously, treating a family is more complex than treating an individual, especially when an unwilling IP has been mandated to treatment. Specialized strategies may be necessary to engage the IP into treatment. In addition, the substance abuse almost always is associated with other difficult life problems, which can include mental health issues, cognitive impairment, and socioeconomic constraints, such as lack of a job or home. It can be difficult, too, to work across diverse cultural contexts or discern individual family members readiness for change and treatment needs. These circumstances make meaningful family therapy for substance abuse problems a complex and challenging task for both family therapists and substance abuse treatment providers. Modifications in the treatment approach may be necessary, and the success of treatment will depend, to a large degree, on the creativity, judgment, and cooperation in and between programs in each field.
Thank you so much for your reply to my post about the benefits of family counseling. I appreciate your perspective on treating substance abuse within the context of the family. I agree, this is a very complicated and delicate situation that requires clear communication between the various treatment providers involved in the case. Is substance abuse your area of expertise? Involuntary clients are often resistant change with the most meaninging and helpful interventions involving the family. This is especially difficult now, in the middle of the pandemic. Thank you again for your insightful reply.