Is your family going through a rough patch? Whether the issue itself stems from a lack of understanding between those involved, sibling conflict, or developmental disagreements with a child, a difficult situation can have an effect on the entire family. Family therapy can be helpful when problems arise and can help restore peace and improve communication.
Some situations that may benefit from family counseling include:
- The family is going through a loss.
- Adoption of child.
- Behavioral issues with a child in the family.
- A family member is caught up in substance abuse.
- Issues between parents (parenting issues or going through a divorce)
- If a teenager is experiencing behavior issues.
- Sibling conflict
How can family counseling help?
Family counseling can help open up communication and can help family members understand each other’s perspectives. It is hard to express emotions and feel understood when the argument keeps escalating. During the counseling sessions, each member has the ability to learn ways of communicating better, as well as developing techniques to de-escalate arguments while making sure that everybody is getting heard. This also helps with parenting problems such as conflicting parenting styles, rule enforcement and remaining consistent with your child once the rules are established.
How is it accomplished?
Family therapy or counseling can be used in addition to individual treatment. The goal is to improve relationships and improve methods of communication and conflict resolution. Families are a unique ecosystem, and issues affecting one member of a family can reverberate and affect the whole unit. Additional benefits of this type of counseling are that in some instances, the sessions can heal emotional wounds in a short period of time.
