How Family Therapy Can Bring Your Loved Ones Closer
Family therapy is a type of counseling that focuses on working with the members of a family to address the issues they might be facing individually or as a whole. The goal of family therapy is to help your family members work through their problems together. Once they’ve come up with solutions, you can build upon them to continue making positive changes. If you suspect your family is struggling, you might want to look into getting professional help from an experienced therapist. Here your Edmonton family therapy experts will discuss what family therapy is, who typically uses it and some of the benefits that can come from working with an expert who specializes in this field.
What is family therapy?
Family therapy is a type of counseling that focuses on working with the members of a family to address the issues they might be facing individually or as a whole. Although family therapy focuses on a family, the type of issues that can be resolved are often more focused on an individual, rather than a family member. For instance, if one member of the family is experiencing anxiety, they may work with a therapist to come up with a plan to help them manage their symptoms. If there are conflicts between family members, they may be able to resolve them and work on building a stronger relationship.
When to see a therapist for family therapy
Family therapy can be helpful for a number of issues that a family may be experiencing, including those that are causing distress, including:
- Communication issues: If one or more family members don’t seem to be able to communicate well with the others, this can cause problems between them and lead to stress.
- Negative attitudes or habits: If one or more family members has a negative attitude or destructive habit that they’re carrying into their relationships, this can cause tension and cause problems between them and other family members.
- Conflicts or issues within the family: If there are conflicts within the family, whether minor or major, family therapy can help to address these issues and find a way to move forward as a stronger unit.
How does Edmonton family therapy help?
Family therapy can help address the issues that are causing distress in the family, as well as help the family members work through these issues together. Once they’ve come up with solutions, you can build upon them to continue making positive changes. After the family session ends, you can use the insights you gained during therapy to continue working towards these goals as a family. If a family member is experiencing communication issues, for instance, you may be able to use a technique to help them to better express themselves, or work with them to try to identify what they want to say while they’re on the spot.
Things to consider before getting started with family therapy
Before you decide to get started with family therapy, there are a few things you’ll want to think about. Are you willing to try something new and take a risk? Family therapy can be a bit different from other types of therapy, with some families reporting that it feels like therapy is invading their privacy or is a bit invasive.How open are you to change? Family therapy shouldn’t be about trying to change family members, but rather about helping them to become the best people they can be. Are you willing to be open to a new perspective? Family therapy is often more about listening to each other, rather than offering advice. Is it worth the time and effort? There is no guarantee that family therapy will work, but it can be worth the time and effort to try.
Conclusion
Family therapy can help address the issues that are causing distress in a family, as well as help the family members work through these issues together. Once they’ve come up with solutions, you can build upon them to continue making positive changes. If you suspect your family is struggling, you might want to look into getting professional help from an experienced therapist.
Your therapy is a safe, welcoming, counseling practice offering confidential mental health assessment and family therapy in Edmonton. We hope this article brought to you by your trusted Edmonton psychologists is helpful. As always, please feel free to reach out with questions about mental wellness and therapy in Edmonton.
