What is family therapy?
Family therapy helps families resolve conflicts and strengthen their relationships. It is led by qualified mental health professionals like psychologists, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), and licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) who have extensive training in family dynamics and group communication.
How does family therapy work?
Thriveworks family therapists in Clearwater, FL usually begin by asking what everyone’s goals are for family counseling. Family members may need help with very specific issues or with general relationship functioning. But there are three main purposes in family counseling: to educate, to counsel, and to strengthen. Thriveworks also offers online family therapy and in-person services, so you may all meet in an office together or join a video call from your home depending on everyone’s location and availability.
What is the most effective family therapy?
The most effective form of Family therapy will often depend on the family itself, as there are many types of family therapy for therapists to use as they see fit in order to best meet the needs of their clients. However, one of the most commonly used types of family therapy is structural family therapy (SFT). SFT focuses specifically on family dynamics and interactions, looking at how they shape the relationships and structure present in the family. It can be effectively used to treat a variety of concerns.
How do I know if my family needs therapy?
This answer often looks different to each family that starts family therapy. However, some signs that your family might need to consider family counseling include frequent fights or misunderstandings, constant tension, experiencing loss, behavioral issues, marital issues, divorce, and blended family issues, among others.
What is included in family therapy?
In family therapy, therapists will often start by asking questions and assessing individual and family dynamics. From there, they may employ therapeutic techniques such as structured family therapy, CBT, strategic family therapy, and more depending on the present concerns and conflicts. From there, a therapist will work to open lines of communication between family members and facilitate emotional healing and growth.
What is the success rate of family therapy?
Family therapy can be incredibly successful, with some studies reporting a success rate of almost 90% for improving participants’ emotional and mental health, and around 66% for improving their physical health.
Is family therapy conducted in person or online?
Thriveworks therapists in Clearwater, FL offer both online family therapy and in-person family therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
How long does family therapy last?
Family therapy is usually short term and solution-focused, with most families accomplishing their goals in 12 sessions or fewer. However, it can also last for longer if the probles at hand are more complex — and that’s okay, too.
Need more help deciding?
Close relationships with our relatives can be rewarding, yet difficult when family dynamics turn negative. It’s important to stop negative dynamics and actions before they start to damage your meaningful relationships.
At Thriveworks in Clearwater, FL, our family therapists can help you and your relatives to enjoy healthier methods of communication and to learn how to compromise successfully. Call us today or book your session online to begin.
Should My Family See a Family Counselor? How Can It Help?
Positive relationships with family members are typically a source of comfort and respect. But when these connections turn sour, boundaries of respect and healthy communication may be crossed. Each family will have certain negative dynamics and personalities that will clash on occasion, but repeated negative interactions are a sign that deeper issues may be going on. Some common signs of dynamics that can be remedied by a family therapist include:
- Residual anger or resentment between relatives over perceived wrongs or shortcomings
- Stress from caring for a disabled or elderly member
- Untreated or potentially undiagnosed mental illness or disorders that family members are suffering from, like ADHD or depression
- One or more family members struggling with PTSD
- Undiagnosed behavioral issues in kids, teens, or adults
- Deaths within the family that haven’t been processed
- Constant arguments and bickering
- Addiction to drugs or alcohol in response to stress
As industry-leading mental health professionals, our family therapists are experts at helping you navigate conflict, ensuring that every family member is heard and respected during sessions. Their sole interests are to bring you and your relatives closer together, by highlighting the positive aspects of your relationships, and by helping you work through negative situations. Teaming up with a family counselor can be a great way to:
- Create stronger boundaries of respect and encourage compromise
- Take advantage of a counselor’s presence—a neutral third party that allows for more balanced dialogue and candid discussion
- Strengthen your relationship with your loved ones by utilizing a safe space for each of you to speak candidly about your experience
- Foster compassion and encourage compromise towards one another
- Improve your communication skills and become a better listener
Benefits of Online Family Therapy
Online therapy grants more mobility and freedom in your family therapy sessions. You can meet virtually, knowing that your session will be HIPAA-compliant, and any discussion with your family members and therapist will be secure, safe, and private.
By scheduling an online appointment with your family therapist, you’ll all gain peace of mind knowing that you can:
- Meet with your shared therapist anywhere, as long as you have a solid internet connection and a private space to speak during your session
- Avoid tension between family members who don’t get along
- Explore the sources and effects of your family’s issues while traveling, taking a break at work, or from home
Schedule a Family Therapy with Thriveworks in Clearwater, FL
When you and your relatives are ready, give us a call to enroll or go online to book your first session at Thriveworks in Clearwater, FL.
With a Thriveworks counselor’s support, you and your family can start to enjoy healthier relationships and a happier household. Call us today.
