The secret to a long and happy life may seem elusive. However, research shows that one of the most important factors is a healthy relationship with one’s family. Strong family bonds have been linked to higher levels of health and well-being, and can even lead to greater feelings of happiness and life satisfaction.
However, maintaining meaningful and healthy relationships with one’s family is not always the easiest task. Families often exhibit frustrations, disagreements, and ineffective patterns of behavior that may make life difficult for everyone involved. Family systems can be extremely complicated and external pressures can cause conflict in even the most stable environments.
Perhaps you resent your parents for the way you were raised or are jealous of a sibling you always felt got more attention. Maybe you are unhappy with the way certain family members abuse substances or are deeply impacted by a death in the family.
While many people choose to avoid their family when issues arise, this can be detrimental to the future of those relationships. Dealing with issues directly may seem challenging but countless families have improved their communication and relationships with each other thanks to the help of family counseling.
You don’t have to simply accept strained relationships between family members, especially if your mental and emotional health is suffering as a result. If you think your family can benefit from family counseling, consider speaking with the mental health professionals at Thriveworks Counseling in Baton Rouge, LA.
When Is the Right Time to Seek Family Therapy?
Regardless of the strength of your family bonds, major life transitions like moving, divorce, or illness can get in the way. As you grow older, you may even realize that issues you’re experiencing today can be traced back to childhood. Discussing these concerns may be difficult, which is why the guidance and insight offered by a family counselor can be so helpful.
Marriage and family therapists can help when it comes to a wide range of issues, such as:
- Divorce or separation
- Remarriage and blended families
- Discipline and child-rearing issues
- Substance abuse
- Mental illness in the family
- Physical illness in the family
- Death in the family
- Long-term conflict
If something is standing in the way of a healthier family dynamic, you don’t need to go it alone. Consider reaching out to the marital and family therapists at Thriveworks Counseling in Baton Rouge, LA.
How Does Family Therapy Work?
Even if you’ve dealt with dysfunctional family relationships your entire life, you can take heart in knowing that it doesn’t have to be that way forever. Family therapy can help open up the lines of communication between family members in a constructive way. A marriage and family therapist can even teach you techniques and skills to tolerate distress, communicate effectively, and cope with triggering thoughts and behaviors.
Since no two families are exactly alike, your family therapist will work with you to determine the best treatment plan to address your specific issues
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an essential tool when it comes to marriage and family therapy. Many issues with emotion and behavior have their roots in deep-rooted ways of thinking and feeling. For example, it’s easy for people to underestimate the long-term impact of events in their childhood.
Talk therapy between family members can encourage discussion of difficult or even forgotten issues so they can be acknowledged and dealt with. The problem-solving skills learned in therapy sessions can help you proactively recognize potential conflicts so you can de-escalate those situations before they become crises. It’s hard to understate the importance of improved communication and its impact on happy, healthy family relationships.
External issues can also cause a major strain on even the strongest relationships. Finances, death in the family, and geographical moves are all major life events that may put family members on edge. Even a family member’s mental illness or substance abuse can significantly affect everyone else in unpredictable ways. Family therapy is a great place to bring these issues so a trained therapist can help diagnose and treat whatever mental, emotional, and behavioral problems may be present.
Have you been thinking about visiting a family therapist to improve communication and relationships in your family? Experienced mental health professionals are standing by at Thriveworks Counseling in Baton Rouge, LA.
Schedule Family Therapy at Thriveworks in Baton Rouge, LA
At Thriveworks Counseling, we offer a great deal of flexibility to our clients. In addition to evening and weekend sessions, you can also take advantage of online counseling. Available by phone or video chat, these sessions are easy to work into your family’s schedule without the hassle of figuring out an office visit. Plus, most clients find online therapy to be just as effective as traditional therapy.
Thriveworks takes most major insurance plans but also offers many benefits to clients beyond what insurance will provide. We offer mobile apps that streamline the billing and scheduling experience. Clients can take part in conversations on our moderated community discussion boards. We also provide access to exclusive video content and the Therapy Buddy app to help supplement your therapy appointments.
If you want to work towards healthier family relationships, there’s no need to wait. Schedule an appointment with Thriveworks Counseling in Baton Rouge, LA.
