Family Therapy

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Family therapy is often the best approach when the stresses and strains of everyday life, a singular traumatic event, or other life changes affect more than one family member. When emotional problems disrupt deeply intertwined lives, family counseling can help restore balance.

 

What is Family Therapy?

Family therapy is an active form of therapy that includes meeting with the family as a whole (or several members of the family) to identify themes and resolve conflicts.

 

Struggles

Often family therapy will arise due to one member's struggles and symptoms. Family therapy allows the opportunity to observe how the system responds to those struggles. It also allows for examination of cultural and multi-generational expectations and influences.

 

Solutions

In every family there are often "subsystems" that respond differently under various circumstances. A focus of family therapy is to help integrate the system, clarify roles and expectations (current and generational), and help each member cope most effectively during life transitions.

 

Common Reasons Families Come to Counseling

Sometimes even positive changes can be disruptive such as a new job, moving to another location, or a child's graduation or wedding. These may create problems that do not always have obvious solutions. I can assist you and other members of your family to deal with these challenges through education and counseling. I consider family counseling to be one element of an overall treatment plan.

 

Family counseling can be of great help in cases such as when:

• A parent loses a job or a substantial financial loss occurs.

• A family member become ill or dies.

• A move to a new city or country is imminent.

• Children are having difficulty in school or making friends.

• Divorce splits a family apart.

 

Why Choose Family Therapy?

An individual’s struggle with issues such as alcoholism, obesity, drug abuse or depression affects everyone in a household and often beyond. I bring parents, children and even extended family members into a joint therapy for conflict resolution to foster closer relationships and lasting change.

 

Start Communicating

Family counseling can open channels of communication to reveal the roots of a person’s conflicts. During the course of therapy, larger family issues are often uncovered and resolved.

 

Gain Insight

A troubled person may gain insight from the experience of family members who have undergone similar difficulties. Families may also learn how they unwittingly contribute to the problems of a sibling, parent or spouse.

 

Find Solutions

When conflicts are correctly identified and communicated, families are able to work on solutions together. This teamwork approach strengthens relationships among family members and helps avoid conflicts in the future.

 

Adjust to Changes in a Safe Place

When single parents marry, blended families can use counseling to ease the process of adjusting in a relaxed environment.

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If you think family therapy might help you, contact me to schedule your initial consultation.

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