We are all born, learn, grow, and live with our families. A family doesn’t always have to be composed of only blood relations. Your family member could be an adoptive or foster parent. Our family helps us learn and grow from birth and also influences every aspect of our lives. Family plays a key role in who we are today and who we will become. If family members share a healthy relationship, they are likely to grow together. On the other hand, if we have a dysfunctional family, each family member will struggle to connect with each other. Almost all of them go through stress, arguments over little things, anger, and all types of negativity.
Almost every family struggles to deal with some kind of dysfunctional situation at one time or another. When family members share a healthy relationship, they will be able to regain their togetherness and happiness. If your family, be it a healthy one or a dysfunctional one, is also struggling to deal with some sort of family issue, family therapy can help you rebuild and maintain healthy and functional relations between each family member.
Let’s see what family therapy is and how it works.
Family therapy—what is it?
Family therapy is a kind of psychotherapy where all the family members attend sessions conducted by a psychologist or licensed therapist. It helps family members enhance their communication and resolve conflict. Either all family members or only those who are willing to participate can attend the therapy session. This therapy helps you learn skills to deepen your family connection and deal with stressful situations.
How can family therapy help?
Problems in your family can affect the lives of every family member. Even regular fights between couples can affect the lives of their children. When you feel like the family issues are too big for you to deal with by yourself, perhaps it is time to visit a family therapist. They will teach you skills to tackle your problem and resolve your conflicts.
A family therapist can help you with:
- Conflicts between siblings
- Illness or health problem of any family member
- Death of someone in the family
- Conflicts arise among family members because of financial problems
- A negative change in kids’ behaviour
- Issues with an extended family member
- Any family member going through mental illness and needing special care
- Infidelity and lack of trust among family members
- Divorce or separation
- Planning for shared custody of children
These are some of the issues that a family therapist can help you with. Overall, if you are dealing with any kind of family issue that is affecting any of the family members, you can visit a family therapist to resolve the issue.
How does family therapy work?
Family therapy is a practical treatment where conversation plays a key role in solving family issues. During therapy sessions, family members find an unbiased and non-judgmental environment where they can talk openly with their therapist.
This therapist or counsellor helps improve communication among family members. You will learn to incorporate healthy behaviours that will further lead to the smooth functioning of your family and their well-being.
Here is what a therapist does during the session:
- Your therapist talks to you and tries to understand your concerns.
- They emphasise communication and encourage everyone to talk, listen, and understand each other.
- Counsellors clarify everyone’s words and feelings so that each family member can understand the other.
- They also help family members understand how their words and behaviour affect others.
Communication is a main part of family therapy. It requires all family members to actively participate in the session. After completing the whole session, you will surely see desirable changes in your family. When family members learn to communicate with each other, they will be able to express their feelings and feel more connected. This connection is something they need to grow together as a happy family.
What happens during family therapy?
During family therapy sessions, therapists talk with family members either in a group or as individuals. A typical session lasts around 50 minutes per week. Initially, family members find it difficult to discuss their concerns, but it is the duty of the therapist to make them feel comfortable so that they can open up. The number of therapy sessions depends on various factors, including the reason for seeking help and whether family members are willing to participate in the session.
Family therapy does not solve your family problem automatically, nor does it turn an unpleasant situation into a pleasant one right away. But it surely helps each and every family member of yours to understand each other, teach you skills to cope with challenging situations, and build harmonious relationships with each other. Family therapy helps achieve a sense of togetherness among family members and deepens your family connection.
